DELTA, BC, February 7, 2007 -- The Honourable David Emerson, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, on behalf of the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of Industry, today announced a repayable investment of $7.75 million in a research and development project that will create an aerospace centre of excellence in British Columbia. The funding is part of a $51.8 million project with ASCO Aerospace Canada of Delta, British Columbia, to foster both innovation and economic growth by helping to advance key technologies in the aerospace industry.
"Canada's New Government is committed to creating a business environment that is conducive to innovation," said Minister Emerson. "Partnering with firms like ASCO will help to ensure that British Columbia remains an important aerospace centre."
ASCO will use this repayable investment to transform its operations into a high efficiency manufacturing facility for the development of aircraft high lift devices such as flaps and slat tracks and complex structural components. This will enable the company to produce products with higher Canadian content at a lower cost, while enhancing its competitiveness in the market.
Collaboration between ASCO and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Engineering will address the development of computer software and hardware required for high-speed manufacturing controls and the fabrication of prototypes. This body of work will also provide engineering students with projects for research theses at UBC.
"Our company is happy to be partnering with the Government of Canada on this project to transform ASCO Aerospace Canada into a full-fledged technology development and manufacturing facility," said Christian Boas, president of ASCO Aerospace Canada. "This initiative will help position ASCO as an efficient world-class supplier, while also creating jobs and increasing economic growth in the region."
This Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) repayable investment was contracted prior to the expiration of TPC's terms and conditions on December 31, 2006, using a new model contribution agreement that emphasizes enhanced transparency and accountability.
See backgrounder for further details on this project.
For more information, please contact:
Isabelle Fontaine
Office of the Honourable Maxime Bernier
Minister of Industry
(613) 995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
(613) 943-2502
The news release and other documents are available on the Technology Partnerships Canada Web site at http://tpc.ic.gc.ca.
BackgrounderCanada's New Government Makes Repayable Investment in BC Aerospace Centre of Excellence
The Government of Canada is making a repayable investment of $7.75 million in a $51.8 million development project to foster innovation and economic growth in the aerospace industry. ASCO Aerospace Canada of Delta, British Columbia, will carry out this project to enhance Canadian technological capability in aircraft high lift devices and complex structural components.
The main competitive advantage of Canada's aerospace industry is the ongoing commitment to technological development. The primary governmental objective is to maintain a strong, innovative, internationally competitive industry that includes support for targeted research and development (R&D) technologies. These new technologies will benefit our economy while contributing to the further development of this vital national industry.
Under this project ASCO will develop a more efficient production process to manufacture products with a greater amount of Canadian content at a lower cost. The technologies developed will also be applicable to the operations of other small-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the industry. In addition, the project will facilitate a public-private R&D partnership, as it will be carried out in collaboration with the University of British Columbia.
This repayable investment will help the company extend its operations into a full-scale engineering and manufacturing house for these products. ASCO will become a centre of excellence in North America for the design, manufacturing and integration of high lift devices for all sizes of aircraft platforms.
ASCO Aerospace Canada is a SME based in Delta, British Columbia, and employs about 100 people. It is a subsidiary of ASCO Industries of Zaventem, Belgium, and provides precision machining and sub-assembly of structural airframe and landing gear components for the aerospace industry.
This Technology Partnerships Canada (TPC) repayable investment was contracted prior to the expiration of TPC's terms and conditions on December 31, 2006, using a new model contribution agreement that emphasizes enhanced transparency and accountability.
