Red Deer’s Olymel pork processing plant is set to experience significant job losses, with 100 staff members facing layoffs due to a downturn in the hog market. Confirmed by spokesperson Audrey Giboulet, the plant has already issued 30 temporary layoff notices, with an additional 30 expected this week.
The future remains uncertain as plant managers declared the local facility overstaffed by 200 people on Jan. 4. Depending on market conditions, some employees may be called back in the coming weeks or months, Giboulet noted.
Olymel, a major employer in Red Deer with 1,800 unionized workers as of 2021, has been impacted by global challenges in pork production and processing over the past three years. Western Canada, including Alberta and Saskatchewan, has seen reductions in hog production and the closure of hog barns.
To mitigate the effects of downsizing, Olymel Red Deer has introduced an early retirement incentive program. Workers over 60 or with 10 or more years of service as of Jan. 30, not eligible for the special early retirement benefit, can now participate. Already, four individuals have enrolled, and an additional 20 have expressed interest.