Maple Leaf Foods cutting 1,550 jobs, closing plants

TORONTO — Maple Leaf Foods is cutting 1,550 jobs as it closes plants and consolidates its distribution business as part of a three-year $560-million restructuring plan.


The Toronto-based maker of processed meats and other foods says the changes are expected to improve its competitiveness and profitability in the near and longer terms.

Maple Leaf will close processing plants in Kitchener, Hamilton and Toronto in Ontario; in North Battleford, Sask.; Moncton and a small facility in Winnipeg by the end of 2014.

The company says the plan will create 1,150 new jobs but the associated plant closures will more than offset that, resulting in a net loss of 1,550 positions from among its 21,000 employees.   More