Air Canada and Airbus have announced a collaborative effort to establish a Sustainability Co-Investment Platform, aiming to invest up to $10 million (CAD 137 million) in developing a commercial-scale Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry in Canada. This initiative seeks to significantly reduce the life-cycle emissions associated with corporate travel.

The partnership focuses on accelerating a Canadian SAF project towards a Final Investment Decision, with both companies working closely with government partners to create supportive policy frameworks. This collaboration is part of a broader effort to align industry initiatives with public policy, ensuring the availability and affordability of renewable fuels for the Canadian aerospace sector.

Valerie Durand, Vice President of Airport Affairs, Corporate Real Estate, and Sustainability at Air Canada, stated, "Through this joint initiative with Airbus, we are taking meaningful steps towards supporting domestic SAF production, helping corporate customers address emissions associated with business travel."

Airbus Chief Sustainability Officer Julie Kitcher highlighted the potential economic benefits, noting that scaling domestic SAF could add $32 billion (CAD 32 billion) to Canada's GDP and create 140,000 jobs by 2040. The initiative also includes Air Canada's Leave Less Travel Programme, which allows corporate partners to stimulate SAF demand. Airbus has committed to purchasing SAF environmental attributes for over 60,000 litres of SAF as part of this programme.

The use of SAF complements Air Canada's fleet modernisation strategy, which includes more fuel-efficient aircraft like the Airbus A321XLR and the Airbus A220. Both companies support the aviation industry's goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with SAF playing a crucial role in this transition

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