Ville Saint-Laurent, Quebec, June 4, 2009 −The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of State for Canada Economic Development, today announced that the Quebec Aerospace Association (AQA) will receive $737,684 in non-repayable funding through the Business and Regional Growth program to continue working to strengthen the province’s aerospace enterprises.
The AQA’s mission is to identify and assess the national and international factors that impact competitiveness in the aerospace industry and help Quebec’s small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adjust accordingly. To achieve this, the AQA provides its members with significant networking and partnership opportunities, among other things, and assists them in their efforts to expand into new markets and to rise to the challenges of innovation, technology, access to financing and insertion in prime contract supply chains.
Quebec’s aerospace sector employs more than 42,000 people, with 96% of these jobs concentrated in the Greater Montréal area. The province’s aerospace companies enjoy an enviable reputation that has been built on their capacity for innovation and on their heavy investment in research and development.
“The Government is committed to promoting research, development and innovation, key factors in the growth of the aerospace industry. The Quebec Aerospace Association fosters networking among SMEs and helps them deepen their knowledge in a variety of areas. It assists these companies in improving their competitiveness and visibility on global markets and in creating skilled jobs. The Government of Canada sees it as essential to lend its financial support to organizations that, like the AQA, use well-targeted strategies to help our science and technology enterprises grow and prosper,” explained the Minister of State.
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Sources:
Marie-Claude Lemire
Communications
Canada Economic Development
Tel.: 514-283-2199
E-mail: marie-claude.lemire@dec-ced.gc.ca
Éric Lefebvre
Senior Special Assistant, Communications
Office of the Honourable Denis Lebel
Canada Economic Development
Cell.: 613-608-7906
E-mail: eric.lefebvre@dec-ced.gc.ca
