Efforts continue at City Hall and elsewhere to find a new owner for the soon-to-close Maple Leaf Foods plant in North Battleford following the latest meeting of the Maple Leaf Task Force.
The Task Force, tasked to find a replacement for Maple Leaf Foods at the facility on Canola Avenue, held their latest meeting recently. In response to an inquiry from Councillor Greg Lightfoot, City Director Of Business Development Denis Lavertu provided an update to council Monday.
Lavertu told council that a conference call included officials from City Hall, Maple Leaf, Service Canada and the Career Employment Centre and the provincial Ministry of Agriculture. Mayor Ian Hamilton was among the city officials on the conference call.
Maple Leaf is now working towards a March 29 closing date, said Lavertu, and has been providing employees with services to help them to find new employment.
So far, all but four people on the management side have found new jobs, Lavertu said, and they are working with the remaining four to find new positions for them.
The property has been listed for sale through Colliers International.
So far Maple Leaf says there have not been any "specific direct leads," said Lavertu, but that is somewhat typical because the facility is still in production and not ready to be viewed.
Lavertu pledged to continue to work with Maple Leaf on attracting leads and will work with Colliers International on any leads that come through the city or through the provincial government.
Hamilton added there was also a commitment by Maple Leaf to assist wherever possible with the transitioning of their hourly employees as well, noting there would be a final settlement with each individual as negotiated through their union.
"There was some comfort given to us through the conference call," said Hamilton, although he ruefully noted "they didn't rescind their decision to close the plant."
