De Havilland to open airplane manufacturing plant near Calgary, create 1,500 jobs
Aircraft manufacturer De Havilland will build a massive new complex east of Calgary that will bring hundreds of jobs to the area.
Premier Jason Kenney first made comments about the plan in Toronto as he was launching Phase 2 of the province's "Alberta is Calling" campaign to attract skilled workers from Vancouver and Toronto.
"(It's) a historic announcement for Alberta's economy," the premier said.
De Havilland made an official announcement Wednesday afternoon.
The De Havilland Field airplane manufacturing complex will be built on 1,500 acres of land in Wheatland County, just east of Calgary.
In addition to several hundred jobs during construction, the complex will bring 1,500 high-paying jobs when completed, the company said.
In March, the company unveiled plans to build firefighting aircraft and bring 500 jobs to Calgary.
Construction could start next year and is expected to take between 10 and 15 years to complete, though the company expects the first buildings could be finished in 2025.
The company also plans to move its headquarters from Toronto to the new complex when it's finished.
"This is the start of a new chapter for both De Havilland Canada and Canadian aerospace, and we are excited about beginning the process with Wheatland County," said CEO Brian Chafe.
Kenney called the latest news "a game-changing investment for manufacturing in Alberta. (It's) just another very major sign of the economic growth, job opportunities and diversification happening."
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