TORONTO — Canada Bread Company, Limited, a subsidiary of Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. de C.V., announced plans to close its Calgary, Alta., baking plant on Sept. 8.
The company said Calgary production will be covered by other Canada Bread plants in western Canada with available capacity.
“Canada Bread is committed to building a sustainable company to meet our long-term business objectives,” said Jennifer Park, vice-president, operations, Canada Bread. “Since 2014, the company has invested more than C$380 million, but that also means we need to make difficult decisions. While we have made every effort to sustain and build the business, during the last three years our bakery in Calgary has been losing volume. As a result, we have made the decision to close the bakery. While this is the business reality, it is hard to make the necessary changes. We will do everything possible to ease the impact on our people.”
The plant bakes sliced bread and employs 63 associates. Jobs will not be moved to other locations, the company said. Affected workers will receive severance packages, personal counseling and access to placement services and workshops. They will be encouraged to seek employment at other Canada bread facilities.
The announcement comes five months after Canada Bread said it would close its St-Côme-Linière, Que., baking plant in May. Canada Bread closed its plant in North Bay, Ont., in August 2016 and its bakery in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in November 2015.
Canada Bread operates 16 baking plants and has 4,175 associates across Canada. Other locations in western Canada include plants in Edmonton, Alta., and Langley, B.C.
