Bombardier will move final assembly of Global family aircraft from Toronto Downsview Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport in early 2023, the company announced today. It cemented the deal this morning, signing a long-term lease with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority to build a one-million-sq-ft Global Manufacturing Centre on a 41-acre lot at Toronto Pearson, which is located some 12 miles from Downsview in Mississauga, Ontario.

The relocation “is a strategic move for Bombardier and a strong commitment to Ontario’s aerospace industry,” said Bombardier Inc. president and CEO Alain Bellemare. He added that the facility will be equipped with modern production methods and tooling, including an automated positioning system that uses laser-guided measuring to accurately join together major aircraft structures, such as the wing and fuselage.

According to Bombardier, preliminary site work is now under way in Mississauga, with first production activities on the Global 5500, 6500, and 7500 set to begin there in 2023. Production capability at the new facility will be 100 aircraft a year, a Bombardier spokeswoman told AIN.

Meanwhile, Bombardier will also leverage significant recent R&D investments and a continued collaboration with Ontario’s colleges and universities for training, research and development. It will also make a multimillion-dollar contribution to the Downsview Aerospace Innovation and Research Consortium to develop an aerospace hub for academic research and training activities.