A multi-million provincial investment played a “significant” role in Chorus Aviation Ltd.’s decision to relocate 150 jobs from London, Ont. to Halifax.

Chorus President and CEO Joe Randell confirmed Monday that Jazz Aviation, a Chorus subsidiary, will re-locate approximately 150 positions to Nova Scotia from London.

Jazz’s London heavy maintenance facility will close, while operations at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport will be expanded. Employees at the London shop will be offered positions in Nova Scotia, but it’s not known how many will make the move.

A $16.5 million investment from the provincial NDP certainly played a role in that decision, Randell said.

“This assistance from the province was a significant factor in terms of making the decision to consolidate our heavy maintenance here,” Randell told reporters.

Randell said Chorus was in talks with the Ontario government to keep the jobs in London, but declined to elaborate on the “several alternatives” his company was considering.

The investment includes a $12 million interest-bearing loan, as well as a $2.5 million forgivable loan conditional on employment targets. The remaining $2 million will go to training new and current employees.

The money comes from the Nova Scotia Jobs Fund, formerly the Industrial Expansion Fund. It is the 10th Jobs Fund-related announcement this year, totaling $371.1 million when a $304 million, 30-year loan to Irving Shipbuilding is included.

“The province, every day, competes with other jurisdictions for jobs, for economic investment,” said Premier Darrell Dexter. “And, frankly, I like to win.”