Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 1 seconds.
Business aviation is one of Canada’s most powerful, but least understood tools for economic growth, according to Rudy Toering, president and CEO of the Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA).
“Business aviation-operations and manufacturing combined-is an economic powerhouse, with a positive impact on our quality of life,” said Toering. “Its impact is much larger than people think. It generates a total of $10.7 billion annually, employing over 42,000 people and contributing three quarters of a billion dollars in taxes.”
Speaking at the Bombardier Training Centre, Toering also remarked on the importance of business aviation to Canada’s world-class reputation in the aerospace and aviation sectors. “Not only does business aviation generate wealth in Canada, but it enhances our international reputation as well. Bombardier, P&WC, CAE are just a few of Canada’s marquee aerospace companies with a large and lucrative business aviation client base.”
While business aircraft manufacturing is known to be highly skilled and well-paying sector that directly employs 10,800 Canadians-with 7,990 of those jobs in Quebec, the high-value impact of business aviation operations-flying those aircraft–is not as well recognized.
“Each business aircraft owned and operated in Canada generates over 12 jobs, $810,000 in wages, $2.9 million in economic outputs and $1.4 million in GDP every year-and that is just operating the aircraft, not building it,” Toering explained, noting also that the combined value of business aviation wages for manufacturing and operations averages $80,400, or 66 per cent above the national average.
“Canada is home to 1,900 business aircraft, both fixed-wing and rotary,” he said. “So the positive economic impact of business aviation is felt in every region. In fact, it is the more remote or northern regions of the country which in many ways, profit the most from the access and freedom to move that can only be provided by business aviation, which does not rely on airlines schedules or population density to fly.”
As the CBAA is the national advocate for business aviation, Toering also discussed its actions to address the issues faced by business aviation, emphasizing how the CBAA works to mitigate the harm that could result to companies, communities and business aircraft manufacturers as a direct result of poorly designed regulations or taxes, restrictions on airport access and other factors.
“Every time a business aviation aircraft ceases operations it costs Canada millions of dollars in lost revenue and wages and makes Canadian companies less competitive and communities more isolated. This is not good for any of us.”
Toering concluded by urging people to discard the clichés and myths about business aviation. “Business aviation is a highly effective tool that allows Canadian companies to compete internationally and Canadians to live in communities that span the entire country. We as a country would be much poorer, economically and socially, without the connectivity that only business aviation can provide.”
Electronic copies of Toering’s presentation as well as the report, the Economic Impact of Business Aviation Operations and Business Aircraft Manufacturing in Canada are available.
