Abbottsford B.C. could be the site for a major new aerospace manufacturing plant.
A news report in Vancouver Urbanized quotes a report by Abbotsford city staff that a US aerospace firm is considering the city as a site for a projected aircraft manufacturing plant. Plans are for one of two options: a $125 million investment in a plant that would create 7000 jobs, or an $830 million plant that would create 10,000 jobs.
No locations have been made public, and the identity of the firm is also being kept secret for now. The staff report is being reviewed this week, and the next steps won’t take place until next January. Vancouver Urbanized speculates that the plan could be related to Ottawa’s $19 billion procurement process for new fighter jets to replace Canada’s ageing CF-18s.
Canada plans to acquire 88 new fighter jets. So far Boeing and Lockheed Martin, along with Sweden’s Saab, have expressed interest. Ottawa will announce the winning bid in 2022.
