Bombardier hiring 1,000 to work on Global 7000 business jet

Bombardier is hiring about 1,000 workers in the Montreal area to work on its new Global 7000 business aircraft program, the company said Friday.

The workers will be hired over the next 18 months for interior completion work on the aircraft, the company said.

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Final assembly on the Global 7000 takes place in Toronto, but Bombardier CEO Alain Bellemare said the company has decided to do the interior completion work in the Montreal area.

Scheduled to enter into servicein the second half of2018, the Global 7000 is designed to carry up to 19 people with a maximum range of 13,700 kilometres. The new plane has a price in the range of $70 million to $72 million US, and the company has said it has orders booked up through 2021.

'Full-court press'

Bellemaresaid during a press conference that the company willhave "a little challenge" to recruit people, but he sounded confident on being able get the necessary workers.

"The good news is we have talent" in the Montreal area, he said during a press conference at a facility in Pointe-Claire, Que., where the company is investing about $83 million.

David Coleal, the president of Bombardier's business aircraft division, said there will be a"full-court press" on hiring.

Bombardier Business Aerospace currently employs about 5,500 people in theGreater Montreal area.

As part of Friday's announcement, Bombardiersaidproduction on itsGlobal 5000 aircraft will be shifted to Wichita, Kan., with Bellemare saying that no jobs will be lost in Montreal in conjunction with the transfer.

The hiring news comes after Bombardier laid off more than 14,000 people around the worldfrom its aerospace and transportation divisions as it restructured.

A union leadersounded optimistic overthe company's plans.

"After a few difficult years in which we have seen job cuts, the union is delighted that soon the recall list, which currently has about 100 members, will not have a single one anymore and that hiring will follow," Renaud Gagn, Unifor Quebec director, said in a release. "It secures our jobs for future years, quality jobs, and creates others. We are certainly enthusiastic."