Bombardier Calls Back 11,000 Employees As Quebec Moves To Restart Parts Of Economy

MONTREAL ― Bombardier Inc. says 11,000 furloughed employees will likely return to work over the next few weeks, part of some 450,000 Quebecers expected to go back on the job as the province prepares to restart its economy.

The plane-and-train maker says it will resume production in Quebec as of May 11, the day set by the provincial government for factories to unlock their doors.

The economic restart will come as welcome news to a company grappling with share-price lows, credit downgrades and a $9.3-billion debt.

Watch: Premier explains reopening Quebec while fighting virus. Story continues below.

Bombardier, which had shuttered operations as non-essential work ground to a halt across the country, says workers whose physical presence is not required at plants or service sites will continue to work from home. The company says it will draw on the federal wage subsidy for Canadian employees.

Earlier Tuesday, Premier Francois Legault said stores with their own entrances will be allowed to open on May 4 outside of the Montreal area and May 11 in the Montreal region, with factories and construction sites across the province slated to open May 11.

Legault says the province will keep close tabs on the number of COVID-19 cases and the ability of hospitals to respond.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2020.

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