On Tuesday, February 24, the Canadian Department of Transportation approved the certification of two large cabin corporate jets manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of the United States. This approval came after American President Trump warned that the Canadian regulatory agency’s approval process for American-made aircraft was too slow and threatened action against the Canadian aviation industry.
According to a government document released on Monday, the Canadian Department of Transportation has certified Gulfstream’s flagship aircraft models, the G700 and G800. Earlier reports from Reuters stated that the company’s smaller and shorter-range G500 and G600 aircraft had already received certification on February 15.
Last month, Trump took to social media, stating that unless Canada “immediately” certified the production of corporate jets by the American manufacturer Gulfstream, he would impose a 50% tariff on all aircraft sold from Canada to the United States. He also announced the cancellation of certifications for Bombardier Global Express aircraft as well as all Canadian-manufactured aircraft.
At that time, Trump remarked that Canada was effectively prohibiting Gulfstream products from being sold in Canada through this certification process.
“If this situation is not immediately rectified for any reason, I will impose a 50% tariff on any and all Canadian aircraft sold to the United States,” he warned.
According to global aviation regulations, the country of aircraft design is responsible for ensuring the safety of the aircraft. Other countries typically just acknowledge the decisions of the primary regulatory authorities.
Nate Sizemore, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Transportation, stated on Tuesday, “The President’s position is clear: fair trade is essential in all areas, including the aviation industry.”
A spokesperson for Gulfstream mentioned that this private aircraft manufacturer is working closely with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States and the Canadian Department of Transportation and remains “optimistic about making progress.”