Airbus’s operation in Mirabel, Que. far from profitability

Quebec's former economy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon, left, Premier François Legault, middle, and Guillaume Faury Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Group, right, speak at a press conference in Montreal, Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. (Peter McCabe/The Canadian Press)

Airbus has ramped up production of A220 aircraft built in Mirabel, Que., but the French multinational is still far from the threshold it had set for itself to achieve profitability.

The aircraft manufacturer delivered 93 aircraft from Bombardier’s former CSeries in 2025, according to an Airbus report released on Monday.

This represents a 24 per cent increase over the 75 aircraft delivered in 2024 and a production rate of 7.75 aircraft per month.

However, data show that the company is falling behind its target of producing 14 aircraft per month in 2026, a threshold deemed necessary to be profitable.

Disruptions to the supply chain, including engine problems at supplier Pratt & Whitney, are slowing down production, according to the report.

This could pose a risk to the value of the Quebec government’s investment, which holds a 25 per cent stake in the program.

Airbus is set to be eligible to buy back the stake in 2035.

The Quebec government underwrote the value of its $800 million investment by half to $400 million.

• READ MORE: Quebec funnels another $413 million to Airbus A220 program

Quebec Economy Minister Christine Fréchette’s office defended the government’s strategy when the revision was revealed last October, claiming that its intervention would enable it to collect $3.4 billion in tax revenues from 2023 to 2028.

In total, the estimated loss on Bombardier’s CSeries, now known as the A220, is close to $1.7 billion, taking into account the $1.3 billion investment made by Philippe Couillard’s government in the CSeries.

François Legault’s government subsequently reinvested nearly $800 million in Airbus Canada to support the development of the A220, an investment that has now depreciated by $400 million.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Jan. 12, 2026.