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Boeing Co. is expanding its sizeable footprint in Canada, becoming the anchor tenant of a new innovation centre in the Montreal area.

At an annual aerospace conference in the city Tuesday, the plane maker announced contributions of $240 million to the aero hub, bolstering its presence in a country where it counts more than 500 suppliers.

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The commitment makes up a big slice of the $330 million in investments from more than a dozen companies for the zone, centred around three hubs in the suburbs of Longueuil and Mirabel as well as the Montreal borough of St-Laurent.

Quebec Premier François Legault says the government will inject an additional $85 million in funding to help launch the aerospace hot spot, with drones and decarbonization as key areas of research and commercialization.

Elements of the innovation hub — the fourth one announced by the Legault government — include a new development centre, aircraft research and training programs.

Despite the pledge by Boeing, the company continues to generate anxiety among some Canadian airlines due to production delays set off by the mid-flight blowout of a door plug in January.

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