Building on the success of investments in Quebec aerospace innovation, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC) and the Consortium for Research & Innovation in Aerospace in Quebec (CRIAQ) have launched a national initiative based on the Quebec model, the Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Canada (CARIC).

Stemming from recommendations in the Emerson report, CARIC is a national research and technology network that will bring together representatives from industry, academia and research institutions to identify strategic aerospace technology areas and facilitate collaborative R&D.

The consortium is industry-driven and will derive an annual $3.75 million budget from industry, the federal and provincial governments, and various universities and research institutions.

Thales Canada, a founding member of Quebec consortium, was among the first to announce its support for the national initiative.