Evidence of meeting #36 for Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was technology.
A recording is available from Parliament.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
This method of transportation is fairly slow.
Liberal
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
We are not offering you a ticket to Paris; that's not our intention. Rather, our intention is to transport resources at a much lower cost. We were just talking about infrastructure. Yes, it will take a little longer than an airplane, about the same time as a train, but at much lower costs. That's the goal.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
You mentioned Yellowknife. I'm a newbie when it comes to this and I'm just trying to understand. Sometimes there are crosswinds. Isn't it a reality of flying? What speed does it travel at and how do you get organized? I'm not closed to the idea, not at all. It's going to cost less, but it's going to take more time, which may have an impact on the transport costs. To sum up, there are two questions: the transport costs and the crosswinds.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
With respect to the question of piloting, we have already looked at the issue with a company from the United Kingdom. Of course, there are flight plans at different altitudes. There is a limit of 50 knots for winds on landing, which is very high. The time it takes to get from point A to point B is generally relatively stable and predictable. It's something that can be planned. There are various flight plan options to bypass the winds that would make up for this difference in time.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
According to the contract, three prototypes have been built for the American armed forces. None have been built yet for the commercial version. We would be the first in the world. We have a contract with the company in England to market the production of several of these vehicles.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
You spoke about 50 knots. What does that relate to in terms of speed?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
It's about 80 km/h, which is equal to very strong ground winds, to be able to land.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
The engine can transport fairly heavy loads, can't it? You compared it with what a C-17 can transport.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
The 50 tonne version has almost the same volume as a 747.
Liberal
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
We have met with several people in the Government of Quebec, as part of the Plan Nord. We have taken many steps in this area, as well as in the mining industry. That is where the potential clients are. As for the Government of Canada, we are here making our initial efforts.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Top Aces Inc.
This is my first, at least. I'll turn things over to Garry.
Whom have we approached?
Vice-President, Government Services, Discovery Air Innovations
We have approached Industry Canada and SADI. Our biggest challenge right now, as Didier just said, is that we are the first company globally that's going to introduce one of these things into service. We need to mitigate the risk associated with that. There are large investments required. There need to be changes to the regulatory environment and there are going to be requirements for investment in infrastructure. To mitigate that risk we are going to be looking for risk-sharing partners. We do see government as being a part of that because there is a lot of upside for Canada. We also need to get through a demonstration phase. We want to see one of these vehicles built and actually go out and prove it. We know there's a market for this, not just in Canada, but there's a large market for this globally.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
What was the reaction? I wouldn't understand the reaction regarding the money but regarding the product itself?
Vice-President, Government Services, Discovery Air Innovations
The reaction to what we're asking for is a little muted because of the current eligibility criteria for programs like this. SADI seems very focused on where all the intellectual property resides. If that doesn't come to Canada, the response is, “Sorry, we're not interested.”
The aerospace review that David Emerson is leading is ongoing, and we are participating in it through the working groups. The technology working group is addressing these types of concerns. We're hoping something comes out of that process that says that opportunities like this, which involve international collaboration.... This is a U.K. company's technology. We're trying to bring it to Canada to commercialize it. In the process of doing that we believe that the capabilities that will be available will be attractive to Canadian resource companies, and even the Canadian government, because it has to support these remote communities.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
But you understand the necessity of intellectual property? This is a transfer of technology. It's not just a matter of enjoy yourself.
Vice-President, Government Services, Discovery Air Innovations
No, but in the process of that the manufacturing would be done here. The U.K. company would transfer manufacturing here and there would be a follow-on in terms of research and development into materials for the hull, engine propulsion systems, human factors, and all kinds of things. There are lots of benefits.
Liberal
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Thank you.
Mr. Tauvette, as the fuel director, you are sort of at the mercy of the aircraft you are going to buy. I think biofuel is an interesting option. We tried ethanol, but there were environmental obstacles. Your recommendation concerning the strategic framework is interesting. I think we should in fact find other options for jet fuel. It's important.
What do you propose more specifically? For example, do you think that Transport Canada should first create a working group, appoint a deputy minister who would be responsible just for this issue in order to give recommendations, develop a program and, eventually, invest in research and development? We aren't just talking about the type of technology that we need to use; we also want to ensure we can invest and form a partnership with the government, with regulations. Is that how you see things?
Director , Fuel and Environment, WestJet
The challenge in aviation—except in the case of my colleagues here—is that we cannot use another fuel. The fuel alternative is like jet fuel. We cannot move to a hybrid or hydrogen system. So we are limited to using only liquid petroleum fuel. We are currently working with Transport Canada, and we have a voluntary memorandum of understanding with them to establish targets for fuel performance and reducing our emissions. We aren't the only ones working with Transport Canada. Canada's entire air industry is, including NAV CANADA and the other airlines. The department determined that a policy is needed. However, no department is a leader in this respect.
Liberal
Director , Fuel and Environment, WestJet
Yes, and there also aren't any priorities for aviation. I know that a lot of effort is invested in several types of biofuel, but in our case, we can use only one type.
Conservative
