The City of Summerside is launching a new recruitment effort to highlight local aerospace career opportunities, emphasizing the community’s quality of life, affordable housing, and shorter commute times. The campaign features leadership from MDS Coating Technologies, which is currently undergoing a $100 million expansion at Slemon Park.
This project represents the largest private-sector aerospace investment at the park since its inception. Egmont Member of Parliament Bobby Morrissey noted the significance of the development, calling it a major success story for the province. The expansion is supported by a $7 million loan from the provincial government and additional backing from the federal government through the Strategic Innovation Fund.
The company’s President and Chief Operating Officer, Jon Cheverie, appears in the promotional video to help attract skilled workers to the area. The recruitment push comes as Summerside seeks to bolster its growing aerospace sector, which is currently centered at Slemon Park. This 1,400-acre site, formerly a military base that closed in 1992, now hosts over 25 businesses and employs approximately 1,100 people. These operations contribute more than $140 million to the provincial economy annually.
The aerospace industry in Summerside is seeing broader growth, as StandardAero is also expanding its local facility by 30 percent and adding 80 new positions. Mayor Dan Kutcher has made economic development and housing affordability central pillars of his administration. With average home prices in the region lower than many major urban centres, the city is positioning itself as a destination for professionals looking for a more accessible cost of living while pursuing high-tech careers.
