Mum's the word from North Bay Mayor Vic Fedeli on a Quebec media report that Dornier Seaplane has chosen Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu over the northeastern Ontario city.
A published report said the Florida aircraft manufacturer will announce at a May 17 press conference that their final assembly plant for their Seastar amphibious aircraft will go to the Montreal suburb.
The report suggests the presence in Montreal of Pratt & Whitney Canada, one of Dornier's suppliers, played a factor in the selection.
The report said the plant will create 150 to 200 direct jobs and 70 to 75 jobs at Pratt & Whitney.
When contacted Dornier chief executive Joe Walker refused to confirm the report and deferred inquiries to their spokeswoman who said a media advisory of the official announcement will go out May 14.
The Florida company unexpectedly announced last October that North Bay and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu were the two finalists chosen to be the new assembly plant.
In an e-mail, Fedeli refused comment. "We can only respond on May 17."
In an interview with Northern Ontario Business last October, Walker would not talk specifics about government funding options available, but hinted the best incentive package may deliver a winner.
“We're currently evaluating the packages of both sides on federal, provincial and local level.”
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