Bombardier Inc. has a $72-million plan to expand its business jet assembly capacity in Dorval, Québec, citing increased demand for private aircraft. The new, 126,000-square-foot operation will be situated near the current Challenger manufacturing operation and the aircraft completion center, and available before the end of 2027.
Reportedly, Bombardier has an order backlog valued at $16.6 billion, and delivered 93 aircraft through Q3 2025. It delivered 146 new business jets in 2024, and it has maintained the 2025 forecast for 150 aircraft deliveries.
“This major investment demonstrates our commitment to supporting Bombardier’s growth and building the infrastructure required to maximize productivity,” stated David Murray, executive vice president, Manufacturing, IT and Bombardier Operational Excellence System. “By expanding our manufacturing capacity, we are positioning the company to meet global demand and reinforce our leadership in business aviation.”
The company did not announce the production capabilities planned for the new operation, nor its capacity, nor the aircraft planned there.
The project will be supported financially by an estimated $25.15-million Québec government loan under a program designed to strengthen the province’s competitive manufacturing sector.
Quebec’s Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy Christine Fréchette predicted the Bombardier project will create “hundreds of highly skilled, well‑paid jobs”.
Dorval is the manufacturing center for Bombardier’s midsized Challenger 300/350/3500 business jets; and the widebody Challenger 600/605/650 business jets. It also produces the long-range Global business jets, available in five variants for high-speed, intercontinental travel.
According to WingX, which tracks aviation industry intelligence, there were 3,878,836 private jet flights worldwide in 2025, 4.6% higher than 2024, and more than 100,000 flights more than in 2022, the previous peak year for private aviation. The growth is typically attributed to changing business travel habits in the post-pandemic world, with more priority given to flexibility and the efficiency of reaching more locations directly; but also to the emergence of fractional ownership, jet cards, and charter services.
Bombardier restructured itself from 2015-2020 to reduce its excessive debts, divesting its C-Series commercial aircraft business to Airbus and its aerostructures operations to Spirit AeroSystems. Bombardier Transportation, a major manufacturer of rail systems, was acquired by Alstom in early 2021, for approximately $6.4 billion.
The company has also expanded its aftermarket services business to support operators of its business aircraft.
“By expanding our manufacturing capacity, we are positioning the company to meet global demand and reinforce our leadership in business aviation,” according to Bombardier CEO Eric Martel.
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Robert Brooks
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Robert Brooks has been a business-to-business reporter, writer, editor, and columnist for more than 20 years, specializing in the primary metal and basic manufacturing industries.