MONTREAL, April 14, 202 /CNW/ –  

The 10th edition of the International Aerospace Innovation Forum, co-organized by Aéro Montréal and Espace Aéro, concluded today at the Palais des congrès de Montréal, with strong attendance and numerous positive announcements that will enable Québec’s aerospace ecosystem to continue its current momentum. 

More than 1,700 participants from 412 different companies and organizations took part in the largest aerospace gathering in Canada. More than 2,500 business connections were organized in the B2B lounge during the Forum. 

Many announcements were made as part of the International Aerospace Innovation Forum :   

• Investments of nearly $4.5 million from Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions to two industry clusters, Aéro Montréal and Propulsion Québec, as well as Sous-traitance industrielle Québec, to structure the defense ecosystem and support SMEs in navigating this promising market. The announcement was made by Minister Mélanie Joly. 

• Numerous partnerships and facilities at YMX Innovation, the Aéroports de Montréal technology campus located at YMX International Aérocity in Mirabel. A strategic hub of the Espace Aéro innovation zone, this site currently hosts or will soon host : 

• Protospace, an exclusive Airbus space dedicated to experimentation, productivity, and training ; 

• An automated drone surveillance project for the Airbus site in Mirabel in collaboration with Exo-Drone; 

• The activities of the National Research Council Canada in advanced air mobility with its Drone Innovation Centre; 

• The new state-of-the-art ARCTIC center from the H2CanFly consortium; 

• The development of a drone assembly plant by Volatus; 

• The first WatchOut equipment, a a Franco-Swiss company specializing in AI-driven autonomous machining cells; 

• A cooperation agreement between the Espace Aéro innovation zone and the Québec Artificial Intelligence Institute MILA, aimed at fostering greater synergy and collaboration between the aerospace industry and the field of artificial intelligence; 

“This 10th edition of the Forum, held under the theme of collaboration, not only helped build lasting business relationships, but also confirmed Québec’s key position in global aerospace innovation. Everything is in place for Québec’s aerospace ecosystem to continue its growth and benefit the whole province, as long as we continue to support our companies and institutions so they can reach their full potential.”
Mélanie Lussier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Aéro Montréal, and Pascal Désilets, Executive Director of Espace Aéro 

The 2026 International Aerospace Innovation Forum was made possible thanks to the following major partners: 

• Airbus – Major event partner ; 

• Pratt & Whitney Canada – Associate Partner ; 

• Bombardier – Strategic Innovation Partner ; 

• CAE, Dassault Systèmes, Rolls-Royce Canada, Siemens – Innovation Partners. 

• Aéroports de Montréal – Innovation Infrastructure Partner 

• Air Canada – International Partner ; 

• Investissement Québec – Collaborating Partner + 

• BDO – B2B Partner 

• Flying Whales, Government of Québec – Collaborating Partners 

• Québec Aerospace Research and Innovation Consortium, Héroux-Devtek – Expert Partners + 

• Caisse des travailleuses et travailleurs unis Desjardins, National Research Council Canada, EY – Expert Partner 

• Greater Montréal Metropolitan Community – Institutional Partner 

• BCI Aerospace, Bell Textron Canada, FTAI Aviation, MILA, La Caisse, STRIX, Portage Cybertech – Ecosystem Partners 

À PROPOS D’AÉRO MONTRÉAL 

Created in 2006, Aéro Montréal, Québec’s aerospace cluster, has the mission of mobilizing stakeholders in Québec’s aerospace ecosystem—companies, institutions, research centres, associations, and unions—in order to increase its competitiveness and attractiveness on the global stage, while supporting its transformation, visibility, and growth. Aéro Montréal’s activities are made possible thanks to the participation of the Government of Canada, the Government of Québec, and the Greater Montréal Metropolitan Community, as well as member companies of the cluster. 

For more information : www.aeromontreal.ca.  

ABOUT ESPACE AÉRO   

Created to position Québec as a global leader in sustainable and intelligent air mobility, Espace Aéro, Québec’s aerospace innovation zone, brings together key industry players, educational and research institutions, as well as SMEs and major international companies. Its mission is to foster collaborative innovation and accelerate the transition toward decarbonized and autonomous aviation, while strengthening the attractiveness and international visibility of Québec’s aerospace sector. Espace Aéro is built around three strategic hubs in Montréal, Mirabel, and Longueuil, and promotes synergy, excellence, and boldness to transform the industry. 

For more information : www.espaceaero.kinsta.cloud. 

Media contact:  

Christopher Young 

Christopher.young@aeromontreal.ca 

514-943-7365