The first true snowmobile was introduced in Quebec in 1936. Its inventor was Joseph-Armand Bombardier, founder of the renowned Canadian multinational corporation.

Bombardier is arguably Canada's most famous brand globally. When people think of Bombardier, they often think of its incredibly expensive three-wheeled vehicles and luxurious private jets. We don't know what Bombardier's aircraft look like, but seeing one at a biker gathering is bound to be an eye-catching sight.

Joseph Almond Bombardier, the founder of Bombardier, was born on April 16, 1907, in the small Quebec town of Valcourt.

From a young age, Bombardier was fascinated by machinery. At the age of 15, he had already built his first snowmobile. He grew up to become an engineer, as he had hoped. However, fate played a cruel trick on him. His first child died prematurely due to premature medical treatment for appendicitis in the harsh winter conditions of Valcourt. Transformed by grief and anger, Bombardier decided to revisit his childhood dream and build a snowmobile that could navigate the harsh winters of Quebec, challenging the harsh conditions.

In 1936, Bombardier successfully developed a sprocket-driven rubber track system.

In 1937, Bombardier achieved his first major commercial success with the launch of the seven-passenger B7 snowmobile.

The B7 snowmobile undoubtedly made it easier for people to travel in Canada's harsh environment. The invention also gained favor with medical personnel and even the Canadian military. In 1941, Bombardier Motor Company was officially established, primarily producing the 12-seat B12 snowmobile. A series of other snowmobiles were subsequently used for ambulance, freight, mail delivery, and school transportation services. Early on, Bombardier's primary business was snowmobiling. Unlike the current Bombardier Group, in 1959, Bombardier launched the first Ski-Doo snowmobile, a product still renowned in Canadian snowmobile circles today.

Bombardier initially developed snowmobiles primarily for those working in forests, mines, and land surveyors. Unexpectedly, Quebecers embraced them as a new type of snow recreational vehicle, and orders poured in.

When the snowmobile was first introduced in 1959, only 200 units were sold. By the time Bombardier died of cancer in 1964, annual sales had reached 8,200 units, generating annual revenue of $20 million Canadian dollars. This figure would have been equivalent to $160 million Canadian dollars in 2004. After Armand Bombardier's death, his son, Jermain Bombardier, inherited the business. In 1967, Bombardier Snowmobile Company was renamed Bombardier Inc. In 1969, Bombardier was listed on the Montreal and Toronto Stock Exchanges, officially becoming a public company.

Bombardier achieved unprecedented success, but until then, its primary business had been snowmobiles and snowmobiles for forest and mining operations.

In 1986, Canadair, the state-owned aircraft manufacturer, reported its largest losses in history, and the government privatized it. Bombardier acquired Canadair, entering the aircraft manufacturing industry. It then acquired Boeing's Canadian subsidiary, de Havilland Aircraft, Short Brothers in Northern Ireland, and Lear Jets, successfully transforming and integrating these aircraft manufacturers into today's Bombardier Aerospace.

Today, aircraft manufacturing accounts for half of Bombardier's business, making it the world's third-largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. Its primary market is small and medium-sized business jets. Zhao Benshan's purchase of a plane, which caused a sensation in China, was made by Bombardier.

The other half of Bombardier's business is no longer the once-popular snowmobiles, but now includes trams, urban light rail, and high-speed rail locos. This stems from the 1970 acquisition of the Austrian company Rotax, which manufactured both snowmobile engines and trams.

An unexpected development led to a bright future. Having acquired Rotax, Bombardier continued to develop trams beyond snowmobile engines. Bombardier made a series of related acquisitions, expanding its tram division and establishing a separate subsidiary, Bombardier Transportation.

Thanks to the tram projects in major European cities in the 1970s and 1980s, Bombardier's business in this area grew rapidly. Toronto's streetcars, subways, and Go Train light rail locos are also sourced from Bombardier. With the development of China's high-speed rail, Bombardier has kept pace and launched numerous high-speed rail locos. China's Harmony high-speed rail was purchased from Bombardier.

Bombardier has long been a national brand in Canada, a source of national pride and a great achievement for Canadian manufacturing. Over the years, it has divested its military products, recreational products like snowmobiles, and financial services businesses, focusing on its core businesses: aircraft manufacturing and locomotives.

When people think of Bombardier these days, they often think of airplanes, followed by trains, subways, and high-speed rail. Snowmobiles are often forgotten. Snowmobiles are practically extinct in both urban and rural areas. Yet, Bombardier, a major player, began by converting snowmobiles in a small garage in a small Quebec city.

In Valcourt, Bombardier's hometown, a Bombardier Museum has been established. The garage where Bombardier started his business has been relocated and has become part of the museum. The museum displays Bombardier products from various eras, along with many vintage photos. If you have time, be sure to visit.