September 21, 2022 — De Havilland Canada announced today that the site of its new aircraft facility will be in Wheatland County, Alberta.
The 1500-acre location, De Havilland Field, will consist of a state-of-the-art aircraft assembly facility, runway, parts manufacturing and distribution centres, and a maintenance, repair and overhaul centre. The site will also be home to an educational space for training the workforce of the future as well as general office buildings and a De Havilland aircraft museum.
De Havilland Field will also be the site of final assembly for the DHC-515 firefighter aircraft, which was launched earlier this year, the DHC-6 Twin Otter, and the Dash 8-400 aircraft, which the company continues to evaluate when to bring back into production.
Construction is expected to commence in early 2024 and is estimated to create several hundred construction jobs. It is anticipated that there will be up to 1500 jobs located at De Havilland Field with potentially more based on the growth of the company.
“De Havilland Field will be the home of assembly and production of reliable and rugged Canadian aircraft that serve missions around the world. This is the start of a new chapter for both De Havilland Canada and Canadian aerospace. We are excited about beginning the process with Wheatland County to provide new aviation opportunities for Canada and Alberta.”
- Brian Chafe, President and CEO, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
“This is a huge announcement for the Alberta economy, a game-changing investment for Alberta manufacturing and our burgeoning aviation sector. Thank-you to De Havilland for your confidence in Alberta as the best place for this state-of-the-art plant that will employ some 1,500 people in good paying jobs. Alberta’s economy is diversifying like never before, and with today’s announcement we have more evidence of the huge growth in manufacturing and aviation.”
- Hon. Jason Kenney, Premier of Alberta
“Alberta’s Recovery Plan is working. As part of the plan, we identified aviation, aerospace and logistics as key industries for investment attraction and diversification. Today, we’re seeing our efforts come to fruition. De Havilland Aircraft is expanding to Alberta, where we have the fastest and freest economy in North America, one of the lowest corporate tax rates, and a young and talented workforce.”
- Tanya Fir, Minister of Jobs, Economy, and Innovation
“Invest Alberta has been working closely with De Havilland Canada since 2021, showcasing the many advantages that rural Alberta offers for international investment. We are excited that Wheatland County was selected for De Havilland Field, a state-of-the-art aircraft manufacturing facility. This demonstrates that Alberta continues to be the location of choice for new investments and opportunities in aerospace and logistics.”
- Rick Christiaanse, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Alberta
About De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited
With more than 5,000 aircraft delivered, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada Limited (De Havilland Canada) is well established across the globe and our talented team of aviation professionals is dedicated to advancing our near-100-year reputation for excellence in innovation, production and customer support. Our aircraft operate reliably in some of the world’s harshest climates and provide vital connections between rural communities and urban centres – transporting essential cargo and millions of passengers annually. Our aircraft also support a wide variety of special mission operations including aerial firefighting, search and rescue, medical evacuation, reconnaissance and coastal surveillance. In February 2022, De Havilland Canada became the operating brand for the companies that previously operated as Longview Aviation, Viking Air Ltd, Pacific Sky Training and De Havilland Canada.
For more information, visit: https://dehavilland.com or https://dehavillandfield.com
About Invest Alberta:
Invest Alberta is dedicated to investment attraction, with a mandate to engage the world and provide high-end tailored support to companies, investors, and major new projects. With team members in key markets around the world, Invest Alberta works to break down barriers so investors and businesses can start up, scale up, and succeed without limits.
For more information, visit: https://investalberta.ca
Media Contacts:
Invest Alberta:
communications@investalberta.ca
De Havilland Aircraft Company of Canada Limited:
John Paul Fraser
johnpaul.fraser@dehavilland.com