A KF Aerospace Convair CV-580 is pictured in this photo taken at the Vancouver Airport, March 2, 2015. The Kelowna-headquartered KF Aerospace has announced layoffs equivalent to eight per cent of its workforce. Credit: Flickr/Dino Borelli

KF Aerospace announces more layoffs in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN – Rebranding the company hasn’t helped KF Aerospace avoid the turbulence of the marketplace which has forced the company to cut jobs in both Kelowna and Hamilton.

President Tracy Medve was not available for interviews Friday as the Kelowna-headquartered company announced layoffs equivalent to eight per cent of its workforce.

However, Medve said in a media release the layoffs are in response to the loss last year of contracts for dedicated services provided to Purolator Courier and Canada Post.

Medve did not specify an exact number but the company is Kelowna’s largest private sector employer with 600 employees based here and 400 more at other locations.

The former Kelowna Flightcraft rebranded itself this spring as KF Aerospace.

In April, the company laid off 125 pilots, most of them based in Hamilton, in connection to the contract losses.

Medve said the company continues to seek growth through its military pilot training business, international cargo service and aircraft maintenance operations.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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