Air Canada and Airbus Commit $13.7M to Scale Canadian SAF Production — Airbus SE

Event summary

Air Canada and Airbus will invest up to CAD 13.7 million in a Sustainability Co-Investment Platform to support commercial-scale SAF production in Canada.
The initiative aims to accelerate a joint Canadian SAF project toward a Final Investment Decision (FID).
Airbus has signed a 5-year agreement with Air Canada's Leave Less Travel Program, purchasing SAF environmental attributes for over 60,000 litres of fuel.
A study by Airbus and ICF suggests scaling domestic SAF to meet 40% of Canada’s aviation fuel demand by 2040 could add $32 billion to the national GDP and create 140,000 jobs.

The big picture

This partnership aligns with the aviation industry’s aspirational goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, with SAF playing a critical role. The initiative underscores the growing collaboration between airlines and manufacturers to decarbonize aviation through renewable fuel investments. The economic potential highlighted in the Airbus-ICF study positions Canada as a key player in the global SAF market.

What we're watching

Government Collaboration: Whether federal and provincial governments will establish supportive policy frameworks to enable SAF production at scale in Canada.
Economic Impact: The pace at which the $32 billion GDP growth and 140,000 job creation potential from SAF scaling materializes across agricultural, forestry, and urban regions.
Industry Adoption: How Airbus's long-term commitment to Air Canada’s Leave Less Travel Program will influence other corporate partners to stimulate domestic SAF demand.