Monday, September 21, 2026
On a site due south of the YYC Calgary Airport terminal, partners and funders officially put shovels in the ground for the next phase of the YYC AeroNex development project: the Alberta Training Centre of Excellence for Aviation and Aerospace.
Calgary Airports will build the Centre, scheduled to open in 2028. It will be designed, developed and operated by CAE and house eight full-flight simulators with capacity for expansion, alongside cabin trainers and state of the art digital training tools for initial and recurrent training on Boeing 737MAX, 737NG, 787 Dreamliner, and De Havilland Dash 8-400 (Q400) aircraft.
WestJet and CAE signed a 15-year training agreement in September 2025 in partnership with Mount Royal University (MRU). The facility will be the first of its kind in Canada to combine state-of-the-art training equipment with collaborative research and development initiatives.
“This facility brings together the best in aviation technology, innovation, education and infrastructure under one roof,” says Chris Dinsdale, president and CEO of Calgary Airports.
Calgary Airports will invest $40 million in the construction and development of the Centre, which will lease just over half of the 135,000-square-foot facility. The second tenant will be announced later this year.
“As demand for skilled aviation professionals continues to accelerate worldwide, this investment will help strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in aviation training, innovation, and talent development.We are proud of this partnership and of the lasting impact it will have on the next generation of aviation professionals,” said Matthew Bromberg, CAE’s president and CEO.
Additional funding for the project has come from the Government of Alberta through the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration, which has invested $3.8 million into infrastructure and $6.9 million to the Opportunities Calgary Investment Fund for the Aerospace Workforce Development Grant and the Aerospace Innovation and Training Grant. Development and long-term management of the Centre is expected to create 25 permanent jobs, 189 temporary jobs and 300 contract jobs.
“This groundbreaking is a major milestone for a facility that will help train a strong workforce for decades to come,” said Joseph Schow, Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration.
The Centre is the second landmark facility established as part of Calgary Airports’ YYC AeroNex project, a real estate development initiative that supports the growth of the aviation industry in the Calgary region through a thoughtfully planned facility ecosystem. YYC AeroNex launched in 2025 with the announcement of the Lufthansa Technik aircraft engine repair and test cell facility, which broke ground in June 2025.
The project is funded in part by a $172-million loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, and a $21.1-million grant from the Government of Alberta to support infrastructure upgrades.
“The Canada Infrastructure Bank is proud to support infrastructure that drives economic growth, strengthens long-term competitiveness and helps prepare the next generation of aviation professionals,” said Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Featured image: (Calgary Airports)
