The Aerospace Industry Association of British Columbia is a member-funded alliance of BC-based companies working together to promote and develop one of the fastest growing high-tech industries in Canada.

AIABC was originally constituted as a committee of the BC Aviation Council, which has been serving the interests of aircraft and airport operators in the province for more than half a century. When member companies who are involved in the manufacture, development, repair, maintenance and overhaul of aircraft and engines voiced a need for greater representation, AIABC was born and in 1994, evolved into a separate organization. AIABC now acts as an umbrella organization, serving the needs of aerospace-related manufacturing, repair and overhaul companies in the province.

Click here for a complete list of our members.

The Aerospace Industry Association of British Columbia is committed to promoting and developing the industry in the province by acting as a watchdog, advocate and facilitator for its membership. The AIABC Board of Directors and its Executive Director monitor developments in the aerospace industry to ensure that BC companies are as well placed as possible to take advantage of opportunities. These activities include an active program of government relations, developing business networking opportunities, addressing and seeking solutions to problems affecting industry.

AIABC has established its reputation as a single point of contact through which the maximum number of BC-based aerospace companies can be addressed. Government, both provincially and federally,  has recognized the key role that AIABC plays in representing the industry and listens carefully to the reports the Aerospace Association offers on a regular basis.

AIABC also maintains relationships with hundreds of aerospace related organizations and companies through its newsletter and membership in other similarly-tasked associations. News and views about the BC aerospace industry and its extensive capabilities are communicated regularly through British Columbia Aerospace Industry Update, which reaches the desks of key industry officials in Canada and around the world. Through membership in the Aerospace Industry Association of Canada, AIABC ensures that the regional profile of British Columbia is represented at the federal table, and through agreements with numerous other aerospace associations across Canada, the United States, Europe and elsewhere, AIABC ensures that our industry is well understood anywhere that a contract may be awarded.

AIABC takes the messages of the BC aerospace industry to the world through participation in international trade missions and air shows and is developing this mandate through co-operation with the federal and provincial governments.

The capabilities and contacts of BC's aerospace industry are also available on the World Wide Web through www.aiabc.com, which contains information about the BC aerospace industry and profiles of each member company in the association. The web site is a rich source of information for prospective business partners, employees or others who are interested in developing closer contacts with the industry.

AIABC solicits the input of its members at its annual general meeting and encourages regular feedback through correspondence, e-mail or the telephone. The association is committed to offering professional and efficient service to members with inquiries or comments and maintains professional office staff to ensure that members' needs are fully satisfied. A calendar of seminars and social events to provide additional networking opportunities is also constantly being developed.

AIABC is focused on issues which are critical to the growth and prosperity of the aerospace industry in British Columbia. Managing human resources is a difficult task for any company in a cyclical business. AIABC acts as an industry interface between aerospace companies and provincial ministries or organizations that deliver human resource funding and training. By establishing an industry agenda through proactive surveys and forecasts of employment requirements in the medium to long-term, AIABC works for member companies to help ensure a sufficient supply of properly trained workers in critical trades. Through the work of its standing Training and Apprenticeship Committee, AIABC is also working continuously with educational institutes to help influence the training standards of workers to ensure that curriculum adequately reflects the requirements of hiring companies.

AIABC is also working with government and offering input on ways to improve the business climate in BC in order to continue to attract new aerospace investment in the province. Items on the table include taxation levels, labour legislation, regulatory issues for manufacturing industries, funding for industry initiatives, and human resource development. AIABC is also active in alliances to help ensure the regional distribution of federal offset work, and maintains active communication with all levels of government on issues that affect the industry.

AIABC depends on the support of its members for the work it does. The Aerospace Industry Association of British Columbia receives no direct operational funding from government. The entire operational budget for staff and office costs is derived from members' dues which allows AIABC to enjoy complete independence as it pursues the key business objectives of its member companies.

Although AIABC works closely with all levels of government on a number of projects that may receive varying levels of government funding, AIABC maintains an arms-length relationship with the government that allows the association to remain a strong, partisan advocate for the aerospace industry.