Canadian regulators have granted approval for Gulfstream’s newest business jets following U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent threats of imposing tariffs on the aircraft over their status in Canada. Transport Canada officially certified Gulfstream’s G700 and G800 jets, in addition to two older models, as stated in a departmental report. Despite concerns raised by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding de-icing issues, the Canadian approval stands.
President Trump had previously warned of potential decertification and tariffs on all Canadian-manufactured planes if the four Gulfstream luxury aircraft were not approved by the Canadian government. The FAA has given Gulfstream, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, until the end of this year to demonstrate the proper functioning of the G700 and G800 models under conditions where ice may form in the fuel system.
Trump’s proposed action to decertify planes, a responsibility typically held by the FAA rather than the Oval Office, was met with skepticism by experts. Grounding of planes by regulators has historically been related to safety concerns, such as the Boeing 737 Max 8 ban following fatal crashes in 2019.
Bombardier and Gulfstream, fierce competitors in the aviation industry, have been at the center of this trade dispute. Bombardier, a major Canadian aircraft manufacturer, is crucial to the U.S. aviation industry, employing thousands of Americans and sourcing components from U.S. suppliers. The U.S. aerospace sector benefits from a significant trade surplus with Canada in this industry.
Aircraft produced in Canada include various models, such as Bombardier luxury jets, De Havilland Canada Twin Otters, A220 jets by Airbus, and Bell Textron helicopters based in Texas. The certification of Gulfstream’s latest jets by Transport Canada marks a pivotal development amid ongoing trade tensions between the two nations.