De Havilland Begins Preparations for Aerospace Campus in Alberta

De Havilland of Canada is poised to start the first phase of construction for its new aerospace campus in Wheatland County, Alberta. The company’s vice president of corporate affairs, Neil Sweeney, confirmed that equipment is being relocated in preparation for significant site work following the end of the harvest season.

“If people have been out that way on Highway 264, they will see that we are starting to assemble large pieces of equipment that will be moving dirt in earnest once the canola is off the field this fall,” Sweeney stated. He added that preparations include moving in equipment intended for the campus buildings. Actual construction is expected to commence in spring 2026, with the first facilities anticipated to open by spring 2028.

The announcement regarding the aerospace campus was made in Calgary in September 2022. During this event, De Havilland unveiled plans to the public for the first time. Since then, the company has engaged with the community through public information sessions and collaborated with both provincial and local authorities to secure necessary permits and adjust legal land use accordingly.

Long-Term Vision for Aerospace Growth

Sweeney emphasized the long-term commitment of De Havilland to the site, stating, “We really are looking at De Havilland Field being our home for the next hundred years and we are being deliberate in how we future-proof the campus for the growth that we expect in the next number of years.” He believes that the campus will stimulate new aerospace opportunities not only in southern Alberta but also across Canada, with a supply chain extending as far as Newfoundland and involving parts manufacturing in multiple provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario.

As the campus prepares for operation, De Havilland is looking to recruit graduates from post-secondary programs, including those from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). While recruitment for construction jobs has not yet begun, Sweeney indicated that the majority of new positions will likely be filled by residents of Wheatland County, Strathmore, and the Calgary area.

Phase 1 of the project will encompass the construction of a runway, distribution and logistics facilities, parts manufacturing, aerospace structures manufacturing, and aircraft assembly buildings. De Havilland anticipates creating between 500 and 750 jobs per year throughout the construction and operational phases of the campus.

“Our manufacturing footprint is quite solid now; this is really about replacing and enhancing our ability to produce not only parts of aircraft,” Sweeney noted. He added that the new campus will enable the company to scale up production more rapidly, thereby enhancing its contributions to the aerospace sector.

As De Havilland moves closer to breaking ground, the community and industry stakeholders are keenly watching the developments, hopeful that this venture will transform the aerospace landscape in western Canada.