Quebec open to reinvesting in the Airbus A220 Program

An Airbus employee stands next to the cockpit of an Airbus A220 at the Mirabel assembly plant in Quebec on Thursday, February 20, 2020. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

MIRABEL — Christine Fréchette’s government is prepared to open its purse strings once again for the Airbus A220 project, but this time for the extended version that the company hopes to develop at its Mirabel plant in the Laurentians.

Quebec has invested nearly $2.1 billion to date to support production of the A220—formerly Bombardier’s CSeries—at the Airbus facility on Montreal’s North Shore. The Couillard administration initially contributed $1.3 billion, followed by an $800 million injection from the Legault administration.

When asked on Monday whether he was prepared to invest in developing the extended version of the aircraft, Bernard Drainville, Minister of Economy, Innovation, and Energy, answered in the affirmative.

“Do we want to be partners in this project? The answer is yes,” said Mr. Drainville during a press scrum on Monday, on the sidelines of an announcement regarding aerospace training in Mirabel.

Mr. Drainville noted that discussions are underway.

“We are participating in these discussions. We will be a partner in any such project. The federal government will also be a partner, given the significance of the issues at stake and the size of the funds involved.”

“It’s too early to draw any conclusions about the ongoing discussions. But I can assure you that the discussions are still very active and that we are participating in them,” said the CAQ minister.

Last May, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney opened the door to federal support for developing the extended version.

“We are working closely with the Government of Quebec and with Airbus to achieve this goal here in Mirabel,” he had said.

This extended version could seat 180 passengers, more than the two current versions, which seat between 100 and 160 passengers. In the spring, Airbus indicated that the project was still under consideration.

“I’ve always said it wasn’t a question of ”if," but of “when.” We’re not at the ‘when’ stage yet,” said Guillaume Faury, CEO of the French multinational, in an interview.

The Quebec government holds a 25 per cent stake in the current A220 program. Airbus can buy back this stake in 2035. The price paid will inevitably depend on the program’s success.

The company estimates it can reach the break-even point for this aircraft “in a few years.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 13, 2026

With files from Stéphane Rolland