Bombardier gets federal exemption from sanctions on Russian titanium [Video]

Bombardier is now the second large Canadian corporation known to have been granted an exemption from federal government sanctions on Russian titanium.

The Montreal-based aircraft manufacturer, along with its European partner Airbus, can continue to use parts containing titanium produced by Russia’s VSMPO-AVISMA, based in Verkhnyaya Salda.

During a conference call Thursday with reporters following the release of Bombardier’s quarterly results, CEO Eric Martel disclosed the waiver.

Martel said that while Bombardier does not purchase Russian titanium directly, some of its suppliers use it, so the company needed a sanctions waiver from the federal government.

“We did work with the government and we did work also with all our supplier base to make sure we were doing the right thing,” he said. “But at the same time, we needed to ensure, you know, that we keep running our factories.”

News of Ottawa’s decision to grant Airbus a waiver drew outrage …