Canadian aerospace industry needs funding to compete: review

Former cabinet minister David Emerson, who headed an aerospace and space review, holds a news conference to discuss the findings of his report in Ottawa, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

OTTAWA - A review of Canada's aerospace industry warns that the industry is under threat from ambitious new players.

And it's calling on the federal government to spend more to develop space technology, but to take the money from other research programs.

Former cabinet minister David Emerson, who led the wide-ranging review, says Canada should be proud of its status as a global aerospace power.

But he says the government needs to redouble efforts to develop new technologies to remain competitive.

The review recommends that Ottawa negotiate new bilateral co-operation agreements with the United States and European countries, but also with China and India.

It also calls on the government to spend $10 million in each of the next three years to bolster the work of the Canadian Space Agency.