Up to 3,000 skilled jobs, right here in Alberta. On May 15, construction officially began on De Havilland Field in Wheatland County, the largest private aviation investment in our province’s history.
The 1,500-acre site sits 11 kilometres west of Strathmore. It will have an aircraft assembly plant, a runway, a parts plant and distribution centre, and a centre to maintain and repair aircraft. Once it’s fully built, it’s expected to create about 3,000 permanent jobs in the trades, engineering, manufacturing and aviation. Construction jobs will help families in the region too.
De Havilland Canada moved its headquarters to Alberta in 2023. Its new hub will do final assembly of its firefighting water bombers, the Twin Otter and the Dash 8-400.
Your United Conservative government plans to buy five of those water bombers, a $400-million order that will be filled right here. The planes that protect our forests and communities will be built by Albertans, for Albertans.
With a young, talented workforce, room to grow and a business-friendly approach, companies like De Havilland are choosing Alberta. Under Premier Smith, we’re proud to see this next chapter happen right here.
Skilled jobs, new investment and planes built in Alberta. That’s your United Conservative government getting the job done.
@dehavillandAIR is making one of the country’s biggest investments in aviation and aerospace, and it’s coming right here to Alberta.
— Joseph Schow (@JosephSchowAB) May 16, 2026
The construction of De Havilland Field is a historic stamp of confidence in Alberta and once fully built, will create an estimated 3,000… pic.twitter.com/GGN5dZA4Yu