Toronto – November 28, 2018 – At a meeting on Monday, November 26, Maple Leaf Foods announced plans to consolidate its Ontario plants by 2022.

This consolidation will result in the closure of two existing plants where employees are represented by UFCW Local 175. Currently, these facilities employ approximately 485 members at a plant in St. Marys and 324 members in Brampton. In addition, the company announced plans to close a third plant in Toronto affecting 600 UFCW Local 1006A members.

The company announced further news that a new facility in London, Ontario will be established to take the place of the plants slotted to close. Information provided to the employees indicated that the company intends to open the new facility in the spring of 2021. The St. Marys plant is scheduled to close late 2021 with the Brampton plant closing by mid to late 2022.

“These plants employ a lot of people in good paying, unionized jobs,” said UFCW Local 175 President Shawn Haggerty. “While adding the London facility will be good for that city, this announcement is bad news for St. Marys and Brampton. It will be difficult for the workers and their families, as well as those communities.”

Employees at the two affected plants process poultry.

The Union has requested to meet with the Company to discuss the closures and the impact on the workers, including severance entitlements.

“The Union will push the Company to minimize the impact of this closure and ensure the most benefit possible to our Members,” adds Brother Haggerty.

For the latest updates, please go to ufcw175.com and ufcw1006a.ca.