MONTREAL, April 10 /CNW Telbec/ - Alan DeSousa, Member of the Ville de
Montréal Executive Committee Responsible for Sustainable Development, Economic
Development and Montréal 2025 and Mayor of the Borough of Saint-Laurent, is
pleased to announce the signing of a five-year cooperative agreement between
Technoparc Montréal and the Shenyang Aviation Economic Zone (SAEZ). The
agreement calls for exchanges of expertise on the development of economic
zones. Specific clauses of the agreement concern such aspects as improving
business practices, facilities and infrastructures, research and development,
training and business development.
"This new partnership with Shenyang is a fine example of expertise
exchange in high-tech sectors that are firmly entrenched in Montréal,"
Mr. DeSousa said at a signing ceremony at City Hall, accompanied by the Mayor
of Shenyang Municipality, Li Yingjie, and the two signatories to the
agreement, Wang Hongxing, Assistant to Mayor of Dongling District, Shenyang
Municipality, and Director of the Foreign Trade & Economic Cooperation Bureau
of Dongling District, Shenyang Municipality, and Mario Monette, President and
CEO of Technoparc Montréal.
"Technoparc Montréal has built solid expertise over more than 10 years in
the areas of urban planning, design of buildings housing science and
technology laboratories, maintenance and construction," Mr. Monette explained.
"This agreement with the SAEZ paves the way for mutually beneficial
collaborations."
Montréal International, which has piloted promotional and investment
prospecting initiatives in China for nearly two years and employs a team of
aerospace industry specialists, acted as a facilitator for the deal.
Incidentally, Montréal International is taking advantage of the presence in
Montréal of the Chinese delegation to Aeromart 2008, led by Mayor Li, to set
up a day-long series of meetings between Chinese and Montréal companies on
April 11.
"This agreement is further evidence that Technoparc Montréal has
developed internationally recognized expertise," Mr. DeSousa concluded. "That
expertise is helping to position Montréal as a competitive knowledge city that
boasts a dynamic business environment, including state-of-the-art facilities,
and that is ready to host businesses in all sectors of industry, from those
that are already well developed in Montréal to emerging ones."
Aerospace in Montréal
Greater Montréal is one of the world's three great aerospace hubs, along
with Seattle, in the United States, and Toulouse, in France. The majority of
Québec's aerospace industry is concentrated in the city - an industry that
generates annual sales of $12 billion, more than half of the total output of
Canada's aerospace sector ($22 billion) and employs more than 42,000 people in
some 240 companies. Montréal also offers a feature that is unique in the
world: the ability to assemble an entire aircraft from parts manufactured at
companies located within a 30-kilometre radius.
About Technoparc Montréal
The mission of Technoparc Montréal, the largest R&D Park in Canada, is to
foster the economic development of the Greater Montréal metropolitan area. The
park specializes in the life sciences, aerospace and telecommunications
sectors, as well as in agri-food, the environment, transportation and other
related fields. Technoparc Montréal has achieved one of the highest growth
rates among North American technology parks over the past few years, with
5,000 jobs created, 30 companies having moved in and investments amounting to
more than $1.5 billion.
About the Shenyang Aviation Economic Zone
The goal of the SAEZ, an industrial hub of some 28 square kilometres
dedicated to aerospace, is to create China's largest single site for final
assembly of regional jets, business jets, light aircraft and jet engines.
About Montréal International
Montréal International was created in 1996 as a result of a
private/public partnership. Its mission is to contribute to the economic
development of Greater Montréal and to enhance its international status. Its
mandates include attracting foreign investment, international organizations
and strategic workers, and supporting the development of innovation and
high-technology clusters in the metropolitan region. Montréal International is
financed by the private sector, the Montréal Metropolitan Community, the Ville
de Montréal and the governments of Canada and Québec. Since 2000, Montréal
International has been involved in 379 direct foreign investment projects
totalling $5.6 billion. From these investments, 28,186 jobs have been created
another 5,459 have been maintained.
For further information: Lucie-Anne Fabien, ARP, Chargée de
communications, (514) 872-6063; Source: Maxime Chagnon, attaché de presse,
comité exécutif, (514) 872-6412; Photo available on request
