More than 42 Olimel workers were laid off in Drummondville for the benefit of Ontario

About forty workers at the Olimel plant in Centre-du-Quebec have been laid off since mid-February, as the Quebec pork processor opted to transfer two major bacon production lines to Ontario.

“The move of these two bulk bacon lines to Cornwall has gradually affected 42 workers since February 12,” it confirmed. Newspaper Paul Beauchamp, first vice president of Olimel.

Last fall, employees were notified that Olimel wanted to move production lines to Cornwall and at the same time bring another 500 gram bacon production line back to Quebec.

Transfer postponed

However, Doug Ford's planned transfer to Quebec has been postponed if the line's move to the province does indeed happen, and 42 workers will lose their jobs here.

“So the plant will have 344 regulated employees and 51 regulated employees,” summarized Paul Beauchamp of Olimel.

In an interview at Newspaper In early March, Olymel CEO Yannick Gervais confirmed there would be no mega-announcement of 900 layoffs this year.

In May 2021, Quebec invested $150 million in Olimel, including $74 million from the Ministry of Economy's Growth of Quebec Businesses (FCEQ) and $76 million from Investment Quebec (IQ).