Bombardier to cut 1,600 jobs in move to reduce costs and consolidate work

Bombardier Inc. said Thursday it will reduce its overall workforce by about 1,600 jobs as it moves to cut costs.

The company said it is making the cuts as it consolidates its Global aircraft completion work in Montreal and reviews options for underutilized hangar and industrial space at its Quebec facilities.

``Workforce reductions are always very difficult, and we regret seeing talented and dedicated employees leave the company for any reason,'' Bombardier chief executive Eric Martel said in a statement.

``But these reductions are absolutely necessary for us to rebuild our company while we continue to navigate through the pandemic.''

Bombardier also said it will end production of Learjet aircraft later this year, allowing it to focus on its more profitable Challenger and Global aircraft families.

``Passengers all over the world love to fly this exceptional aircraft and count on its unmatched performance and reliability.

However, given the increasingly challenging market dynamics, we have made this difficult decision to end Learjet production,'' Martel said.