CDPQ, a pension fund, and SMBC Aviation, an aircraft leasing company, agreed to form Maple Aircraft, an aircraft financing and leasing platform, in a $1.5bn deal. “Building on CDPQ’s experience in the aircraft financing industry, through this new platform, we will continue to provide flexible financing solutions for airlines to meet their future fleet requirements. We’re delighted to partner with SMBC Aviation Capital, an industry leader with a successful track record, who has demonstrated their commitment to sustainable aviation, to find the best opportunities in the commercial aircraft industry and to achieve attractive risk-adjusted returns over the long term,” Marc Cormier, CDPQ Executive Vice-President and Head of Fixed Income.