“Airbus Helicopters Canada deeply regrets that the federal government has moved forward and awarded the Canadian Coast Guard Light-lift Helicopter contract. Our lawsuit against Public Works & Government Services Canada on this tender is currently before the Federal Court and has not been resolved.

Airbus Helicopters Canada maintains that the government’s Request for Proposals for replacement of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet of Light-lift helicopters was biased to favour one manufacturer and consequently resulted in a sole source tender. Furthermore, Transport Canada’s awarding of a special weight exemption to Bell Helicopter in 2011 created an unfair competitive advantage and contributed to this RFP attracting only one bid.

Airbus Helicopters has a strong presence in para-public and defence markets around the world and is the civil market leader in Canada. As an Original Equipment Manufacturer located in Ft. Erie, ON and a part of the Airbus Group, which has heavily invested in Canada for the past 30 year, Airbus Helicopters Canada expects to compete in fair, open and transparent ‎public tender processes.”

About Airbus Helicopters Canada

Airbus Helicopters Canada, formerly Eurocopter Canada, is a subsidiary of Airbus Helicopters and a leading supplier of helicopters in Canada. Our helicopters are used across the country in key parapublic and civil roles which include: law enforcement, emergency medical services, oil & gas, mining, firefighting, hydroelectric utilities, environmental surveys, tour and corporate transport. Airbus Helicopters was established in Fort Erie, Ontario in 1984 and has additional operations in Richmond, British Columbia and Montreal, Quebec as well as a support and customer service network in place to support a fleet of over 670 helicopters in the country. The company is celebrating 30 years of success in Canada this year.

About Airbus Helicopters

Airbus Helicopters, formerly Eurocopter, is a division of Airbus Group, a global pioneer in aerospace and defense related services. Airbus Helicopters is the world’s No. 1 helicopter manufacturer and employs more than 23,000 people worldwide. With 46 percent market share in civil and parapublic sectors, the company’s fleet in service includes some 12,000 helicopters operated by more than 3,000 customers in approximately 150 countries. Airbus Helicopters’ international presence is marked by its subsidiaries and participations in 21 countries, and its worldwide network of service centers, training facilities, distributors and certified agents. Airbus Helicopters’ range of civil and military helicopters is the world’s largest; its aircraft account for one third of the worldwide civil and parapublic fleet. The company’s chief priority is to ensure the safe operation of its aircraft for the thousands of people who fly more than 3 million hours per year.