Anita was joined by MP colleague Mona Fortier at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum to announce a donation of 10 helicopters to colleges and universities across Canada. For more than 30 years BO 105 helicopters were part of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet of helicopters, which they recently replace with newer and heavier-lift helicopters. With the fleet having been renewed the Canadian Coast guard had a surplus of 10 helicopters. The Government of Canada decided to donate the 10 helicopters to colleges and universities across Canada to support aircraft maintenance training across the country.

In the past, Algonquin College students enrolled in the Aircraft Maintenance Technician program had to travel to Toronto to be able to work on a helicopter. With today’s donation, they will no longer need to travel and the new reality is that the helicopter is now right here in Ottawa at Algonquin College in
Ottawa West—Nepean. This is an example of The Government of Canada supporting the development of well-trained, skilled personnel to serve the aerospace industry of the future.