Bombardier lays off 1,700 workers in Canada, U.S.

Bombardier is slashing six per cent of its workforce in theAerospace division.

The Montreal-based company told employees on Tuesday that cuts are required due to delays in the launch of new planes and tough market conditions.

Out of the 1,700 employees who will lose their jobs, 1,100 are in the Montreal region and 600 are in the U.S., mostly in Wichita,Kansas.

According to a company spokesperson, the layoffs will affect temporary and permanent staff inmanufacturing, assembly, engineering, and sales.

The company said it needs to preserve cash amiddelays in the CSeries commercial jet and Learjet 85 business jet, aswell as due to tough market conditions.

• Bombardier's CSeries: An in-depth look

• Bombardier CSeries delayed again until late 2015

The announcement follows several recent setbacks for Bombardier,which is one of the world's largest aircraft manufacturers.

On Monday, Bombardier said it received 19 per cent fewer neworders for commercial and business aircraft last year than in 2012.

The company's stock price fell seven cents to $4.04.