Canada is set to announce on Thursday a multi-billion dollar sole-source contract for Boeing Co’s P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to replace the country’s military surveillance planes, a senior government source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

An announcement would follow a challenge from Canadian business jet maker Bombardier which called for an open competition so it could submit a bid.

(Reporting By Steve Scherer in Ottawa, writing by Allison Lampert in Montreal, editing by Chris Reese)