$3 million through PrairiesCan will double Mount Royal University’s pilot and flight training capacity to meet industry needs

October 20, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta – PrairiesCan

The aviation industry in Alberta and across Canada is growing, resulting in increased demand for pilots and skilled aviation professionals in the air transportation and aircrew industries. The Government of Canada is investing in Alberta’s aviation sector to support the increasing need for pilots and a flight-ready workforce while creating good paying jobs and diversifying Alberta’s economy.

Today, George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, announced a federal investment of $3 million to help meet the growing demand for skilled aviation professionals to drive the continued growth of Alberta and Canada’s aviation sector.

PrairiesCan funding will enable the expansion of Mount Royal University’s pilot and aviation flight training program—doubling enrollment to 80 students per year in its Aviation Diploma Program and launching a new Bachelor of Aviation Management degree program in 2024. The federal investment will help equip a new hangar and learning facility at the university’s Springbank campus, including new virtual reality technology and flight simulators needed to train a new generation of pilots and aircrew.

Over the next two years, this investment is expected to create more than 70 jobs, assist approximately 10 small- and medium-sized businesses, and train 140 students—including those currently underrepresented in the aviation industry such as women and Indigenous youth.