Failure is never the end of a story. It is a teacher ,often harsh, often unforgiving, but always valuable. If Canada is willing to learn from its past failures, we have a chance to rebuild something bold, sovereign, and world-class. For decades, Canada has drifted away from the aerospace leadership it once held. We were a nation that built the Avro Arrow, the most advanced interceptor of its time. We were a nation that built the Bombardier CSeries, a jet so advanced that Airbus now sells it globally as the A220. We were a nation that built the Dash 8, a turboprop that continues to dominate regional aviation.
Yet today, Canada has no large-scale passenger jet program under its own control. We have the talent, the companies, the supply chain, and the engineering capability. What we lack is the national will. It is time to change that. It is time for Canada to launch a 100-seat passenger jet program, designed and built in Canada within the next decade. Not as nostalgia. Not as a vanity project. But as a strategic industrial investment , one that strengthens our economy, our sovereignty, and our global standing.
This is not only possible. It is necessary.

The Dash 8 Proves Canada Can Build World-Class Aircraft
Before discussing jets, we must acknowledge the aircraft that quietly demonstrates Canada’s engineering strength: the Dash 8. This aircraft is rugged, efficient, reliable, and globally respected. It continues to operate in North America, Europe, India, Africa, and Australia. It is a Canadian success story , engineered in Toronto, built in Toronto, and flown worldwide.
The Dash 8 is more than a turboprop. It is proof of capability. It shows that Canada can design, certify, and manufacture complex aircraft that meet global standards. If we can build a turboprop that dominates its class, why can’t we evolve that expertise into a jet-powered regional aircraft? The answer is simple: we can. The only thing missing is the decision to do so.

The Bombardier CSeries Was Not a Technical Failure , It Was a Management Failure
The Bombardier CSeries , now the Airbus A220 ,is one of the best narrow-body jets ever built. Airlines love it. Pilots love it. Passengers love it. Airbus is selling it aggressively around the world. The aircraft itself was a masterpiece. The failure was not technical. The failure was political, financial, and managerial.
Bombardier was undercapitalized, mismanaged, pressured by foreign competitors, and unsupported by federal leadership. The company was forced into a corner. But the CSeries proved something important: Canada has the engineering talent to build world-leading jets. What we lacked was the national structure to protect and scale the program.
This is the lesson we must learn. Failure always gives something to learn and the CSeries taught us that Canada must never again allow a world-class aerospace program to collapse due to political hesitation and financial fragility.

Canada Has No Jet Program Under Its Own Control , And That Is a Strategic Risk
Today, Canada builds business jets, turboprops, engines, landing gear, avionics, satellites, and space robotics. But we do not build a Canadian-controlled passenger jet. This is a strategic vulnerability. A nation that cannot build its own aircraft cannot control its aerospace destiny. It cannot protect its supply chain. It cannot guarantee sovereign capability. It cannot fully participate in the future of aviation.
Canada is a G7 nation with a top-10 aerospace industry. Yet we rely entirely on foreign companies for passenger jets. This is not sustainable. This is not strategic. This is not worthy of Canada’s potential.

The Global Market Is Changing , And Canada Has a Window of Opportunity
The world is shifting toward regional jets, short-haul efficiency, hybrid-electric propulsion, sustainable aviation, and smaller, more flexible aircraft. The 70–120 seat market is growing. Airbus and Boeing are focused on larger jets. Embraer dominates the regional jet segment , but competition is limited.
Canada has a window of opportunity. A 100-seat Canadian jet could serve regional routes, replace aging fleets, support northern and remote communities, integrate hybrid-electric systems, and become a global export product. This is not fantasy. This is industrial strategy.

A Consortium Model Is the Only Realistic Path Forward
No single company can carry the financial weight of a jet program. But a Canadian aerospace consortium can. This is how Europe built Airbus. This is how Brazil built Embraer. This is how Canada can build again.
A realistic, powerful consortium would include De Havilland Canada, Bombardier, Magellan Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and MDA. These companies already form the backbone of Canadian aerospace. They have the facilities, the supply chains, the engineering teams, and the global relationships.
Alongside industry, Canada’s top universities ,the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo, and McGill University , can contribute research, materials science, aerodynamics, and advanced manufacturing expertise. Government agencies such as the federal government, the Province of Ontario, Export Development Canada, and NRC Aerospace can provide stability, certification support, and export financing.
And finally, Canada’s major banks  TD, RBC, CIBC, BMO, and Scotiabank  can provide structured financing, risk management, and long-term capital.
This is not just a list of names. This is a blueprint for a national aerospace revival.

Shared Funding Means Shared Risk , And Shared Success
The CSeries failed financially because Bombardier carried the entire burden alone. A modern program must be structured differently. Shared funding means shared risk, shared responsibility, shared innovation, and shared reward. Public–private investment is not a bailout. It is a strategic partnership.
Canada invests heavily in automotive manufacturing, EV batteries, mining, energy, and infrastructure. Why not aerospace , one of our strongest industries? A 100-seat Canadian jet program would create thousands of high-skilled jobs, strengthen supply chains, boost exports, attract global investment, and inspire the next generation of engineers.
This is nation-building.

A 10-Year Timeline Is Realistic , If Canada Starts Now
With the right structure, Canada can deliver a 100-seat jet in under a decade. Bombardier already built the CSeries. De Havilland already runs a full production line. Pratt & Whitney Canada already builds world-class engines. Magellan already builds major aircraft structures. MDA already builds advanced aerospace systems. Universities already conduct cutting-edge research.
We are not starting from zero. We are starting from experience. A 10-year timeline is not ambitious. It is practical.

This Is About More Than an Aircraft , It’s About Sovereignty
A passenger jet program is not just an industrial project. It is a statement of national capability. It says that Canada builds, Canada innovates, Canada leads, and Canada invests in its future. It says that Canada refuses to be dependent on foreign aerospace giants. A sovereign jet program strengthens national security, economic independence, technological leadership, and global influence.
This is what serious nations do.

Failure Taught Us Something , Now It’s Time to Build Again
The Avro Arrow taught us what happens when political hesitation kills ambition. The CSeries taught us what happens when financial fragility undermines engineering excellence. Failure always gives something to learn. And the lesson is clear: Canada must never again abandon a world-class aerospace program. Canada must build again , boldly, strategically, and together.
A 100-seat Canadian passenger jet is not just possible. It is necessary. It is achievable. It is the next chapter of Canadian aerospace leadership. The only question left is whether we have the will.