200 Jazz jobs moving from London, Ont. to Halifax

Jazz Aviation LP is moving 200 jobs from London, Ontario to Halifax.

The move will happen by next summer and will consolidate the airline's heavy maintenance operations at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

The company is owned by Halifax-based Chorus Aviation Inc.

Workers in Ontario, 150 unionizedworkers and 50 managers, will be given the option to relocate, Jazz spokeswoman Manon Stuart confirmed.

Moving the positions will allowJazzunder the Air Canada Express brand to be more efficient and acquire new planes, Stuart said.

The company will still have presence in London, she said.

Chorus Aviation announced today itwill acquire additional Bombardier Q400 NextGen aircrafts. The Q400 aircrafts hold 74 passengers.

A total of nine 50-seat CRJ-100 aircraft will be removed from the Jazz fleet between December 2012 and May 2013, according to the Jazz website.

Flights will continue in and out of London, and 50 employees will stay at the London Airport for regular maintenance.

London's acting mayor, Paul Hubert, says he wants to know whether London Airport had any advance discussions with Jazz and whether anything could have been done to keep the jobs in the city.

It's another blow to London, just six months after the Electo-Motive plant shut down.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter scheduled a press conference for Monday at the Jazz Aviationhangar at the Halifax airport, wherefunding will be announced under the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund.

Aspokesperson for the government wouldn't confirm if the funding announcement is connected to the job move.