(Adds comments from Quebec premier; context on CSeries)
MONTREAL, June 13 (Reuters) - The Canadian province of
Quebec expects to finalize an agreement to invest $1 billion in
planemaker Bombardier Inc 's BBDb.TO CSeries program by the end
of June, Premier Philippe Couillard said Monday.
"Our objective is to finish it by June 30," Couillard told
reporters on the sidelines of an international conference in
Montreal. "I think that's realistic. Things are progressing
well."
Couillard said a deal with Bombardier could be reached even
if separate talks with Canada's federal government are not
completed by the end of the month. Quebec and Bombardier want
the the federal government to match the province's $1 billion
investment in the narrowbody jet program, but talks have dragged
on amid governance concerns by the country's Liberal government
over the plane-and-train-maker's dual class share structure.
"It's up to them (Canada) to negotiate with Bombardier. Our
deal is going forward. We are going to formally sign the
agreement very soon," Couillard said.
"And we'll do our first payment very soon."
Couillard could not say whether the first payment of $500
million would be made before the Farnborough International Air
show, which starts in mid-July.
"It would be ideal," said Couillard of paying an installment
before the show.
Couillard said the terms of the federal and Quebec deals
with Bombardier would need to be complementary but not
necessarily the same. While Quebec has agreed to invest in the
now money-losing 110-150 seat CSeries planes, media reports have
said Canada wants to invest in Bombardier Inc's parent company.
"They can be complementary, they don't have to be
absolutely identical," Couillard said of the deal's
conditions."But they have to be in-synch. They have to work with
one another."