Aerospace in
Prince Edward Island
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Aerospace
PEI’s Aerospace Sector Snapshot
Opportunity is waiting in the Aerospace sector in Prince Edward Island. As a complete aerospace location, PEI offers specific strengths and opportunities in maintenance, repair, overhaul, auto-structure repair and commercial pilot training.
Some of the most recognizable companies in the aerospace industry call Prince Edward Island home, benefiting from a skilled and highly trained workforce, easy access to international markets, world-class strategic infrastructure, and a competitive cost structure including Canada’s only aerospace tax rebate program.
Competitive Advantages:
Industry Landscape
Home to world renowned aerospace companies and world-class infrastructure dedicated to the aerospace industry.
Talent
Home to a highly skilled and trained workforce, and two post-secondary institutions working with industry to ensure workforce is trained to meet the needs of the sector.
Cost Effective Location & Business Supports
A cost effective location for business supported by a vibrant diverse, growing economy.
A Place to Live that Works
Beautiful and safe communities, minimal traffic, more affordable housing and a quality of life that is second to none.
INDUSTRY LANDSCAPE
The aerospace industry in PEI has become a key sector of the Island’s economy. On the Island, the industry focus has been toward aircraft engine maintenance, repair and overhaul and aircraft part manufacturing.
- More than 15 Aerospace and Defence companies currently operate in PEI.
- Aerospace products and parts manufacturing contributed over $89.6M to the Island GDP.¹
- Over 800 skilled workers are employed in aerospace across the Island.²
- The Island’s post-secondary institutions have developed programing to train and develop talent, supporting the industry talent pipeline.
- Areospace companies in PEI benefit from strategic supports such as Canada’s only Aerospace & Defence Tax Credit Rebate program.
Slemon Park
Slemon Park is home to five aircraft hangers ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 square feet and an operational airport with over 8,000 feet of runway. Tenants also enjoy amenities like onsite residents, hotel accommodations and food service.
Charlottetown Airport Business Park
Charlottetown Airport Business Park. Located minutes from downtown Charlottetown, the Airport Business Park is located at PEI’s only commercial airport. The Charlottetown airport is operational 24/7 and home to two runways, 5,000’ and 7,000’, three taxiways and two parking aprons.
In Good Company
TALENT
Regional Employment
9,676 skilled employees work in Atlantic Canada’s Aerospace & Defence industry.3
Loyal Workforce
The average job tenure in PEI is over 8.5 years! ⁴
Skilled + Knowledgeable Talent
17% of Atlantic Canada’s Areospace & Defence workforce is employed in Prince Edward Island.⁵
PEI's Talent Pipeline
- 4 colleges across Atlantic Canada offering skilled trades programing to develop talent to support the sector – including Holland College’s Aircraft Turbine Technician program
- Home to the University of PEI’s School of Sustainable Design Engineering
- Island Aerospace employers can access the permanent Atlantic Immigration Program to support faster hiring of international graduates and internationally trained talent.
PEI’s Post-Secondary Institutions & Training Partners
Holland College
Visit WorkPEI.com to find career opportunities in the Aerospace Sector in Prince Edward Island!
Cost Effective Location & Business Supports
Prince Edward Island prides itself on providing its companies with the most advanced frameworks to support company growth – Including access to high speed internet across the entire province and world class infrastructure, and business support programs to enable growth, and export potential.
Featured Programs for Aerospace Companies
- Aerospace and Defence Tax Rebate
- Advanced Marine Technology Tax Rebate
- PEI Labour Rebate
- Marketing Support Assistance
- Rental Incentive Assistance
- Strategic Improvement Assistance
You / your company qualify if you are:
- new and existing Aerospace and Defence firms in Prince Edward Island;
- aerospace companies that have 20 or more employees or a payroll over $700,000;
- aerospace companies working in the Aerospace and Defence sector as defined by the Province of Prince Edward Island; and
- Tax Rebate Incentive
The tax rebate will continue until December 2022. Qualified companies are those working in aviation, aerospace, or defence businesses such as:
- original equipment manufacturers,
- strip and paint shops,
- repair and overhaul operations, or
- training and various aviation support businesses.
The Advanced Marine Technology (AMT) tax rebate is a new support that has been modeled from the success of the aerospace industry on Prince Edward Island. In less than 5 years, PEI has gone from limited advanced marine technology activity with sales under $5 million to a growing sector with staffing numbers close to 200 and sales over $100 million.
With four ports on PEI and marine based training programs at Holland College, PEI is setting its course to grow the AMT sector through a full yearly rebate on all corporate income tax paid to the province of Prince Edward Island.
The PEI Labour Rebate is much more flexible than traditional tax credits, providing a rebate of upto 25% of eligable full-time salaries of PEI residents.
PEI’s Labour Rebate Highlights:
- Rebate of upto 25% on labour expenditures for incremental, full-time positions based on PEI
- Easy claiming process – no complex filing
- Quarterly claiming process to ease cash flow
- No limits on job functions
- Companies are pre-approved before costs are incurred
Marketing Assistance helps Prince Edward Island businesses with marketing costs to execute exporting plans and activities. The fund enables businesses to accelerate sales and increase their market reach.
To be an eligible applicant, a business must be located in Prince Edward Island and:
- be registered to do business and actively operating in Prince Edward Island;
- manufactures, processes, or develops goods or services primarily for export;
- operates within one of these strategic sectors:
- bioscience
- aerospace and defence
- advanced manufacturing and processing
- renewable energy and clean technology
- information and communications technology
- creative and cultural industries
- first-of-its-kind exportable goods or services in other sectors may be considered.
A business that has a defaulted outstanding debt obligation on file in the Province’s Central Default Registry is not eligible for Innovation PEI assistance.
Rental Incentive Assistance contributes to rental costs for Prince Edward Island businesses to establish a new business or to expand existing production capabilities.
To be an eligible applicant, a business must be located in Prince Edward Island and:
- be registered to conduct business and actively operating on Prince Edward Island;
- manufactures, processes, or develops goods or services primarily for export;
- operates within one of these strategic sectors:
- bioscience
- aerospace and defence
- advanced manufacturing and processing
- renewable energy and clean technology
- information and communications technology
- creative and cultural industries
- first-of-its-kind exportable goods or services in other sectors may be considered.
A business that has a defaulted outstanding debt obligation on file in the Province’s Central Default Registry is not eligible for Innovation PEI assistance.
Strategic Improvement Assistance supports Prince Edward Island businesses undertaking strategic activities to become more productive, profitable and competitive. The program supports costs for outside professional expertise required for projects related to improving operational efficiencies, internal planning or processes, and quality assurance.
To be an eligible applicant, a business must be located in Prince Edward Island and:
- registered to conduct business and actively operating on Prince Edward Island;
- manufactures, processes, or develops goods or services primarily for export;
- operates within one of these strategic sectors:
- bioscience
- aerospace and defence
- advanced manufacturing and processing
- renewable energy and clean technology
- information and communications technology
- creative and cultural industries
- first-of-its-kind exportable goods or services in other sectors may be considered.
A business that has a defaulted outstanding debt obligation on file in the Province’s Central Default Registry is not eligible for funding.
Visit our complete list of available business support programs here.
A PLACE TO LIVE THAT WORKS
Not only is Prince Edward Island the ideal location for business, it offers an opportunity to experience a quality of life that is second to none. With Prince Edward Island’s like-minded communities, thriving arts and culture environment, and coastal lifestyle, you are sure to find a place to live that works.
Learn more about living in PEI.
GET IN TOUCH
Need more information about the Aerospace & Defence Sector in Prince Edward Island? Get in touch with one of our team members to navigate opportunities and incentives, get in-depth industry information, and make connections with key business leaders.
Brad Mix
SENIOR DIRECTOR BUSINESS ATTRACTION
Doug MacDonald
Senior Investment Officer, Aerospace and Defence, Marine & Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Technology
Sources
1. Province of Prince Edward Island (2023). 2022 Preliminary Real GDP By Industry report. May 2023. PEI Statistics Bureau, Department of Finance https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/sites/default/files/publications/fin_gdp_by_ind.pdf
2 & 3. Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defence Association (2018). Economic Impact Study – Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defense Industry. March 2018. Atlantic Canada Aerospace & Defense Association. https://ac-ada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/ACADA-Economic-Impact-Study-Final-Report-March-2018-updated-copy.pdf
4. Statistics Canada (2023) Table 14-10-0055-01 Job tenure by industry, annual https://doi.org/10.25318/1410005501-eng
5.