Maple Leaf Foods: COVID-19 hits employees at third plant

Maple Leaf Foods confirmed that workers at three of the company’s plants have tested positive for COVID-19.

Roy Graber Headshot
(Maple Leaf Foods)
(Maple Leaf Foods)

Maple Leaf Foods confirmed that workers at three of the company’s plants have tested positive for COVID-19.

In a press release issued on April 13, the Canadian meat, poultry and plant-based protein company stated that two workers at the company’s Viau plant in Montreal, Quebec, tested positive for COVID-19. Upon learning of those two cases on April 12, the company decided not to operate the plant on the following day in order to conduct an investigation and deep cleaning of the facility.

The Montreal plant -- which produces premium Italian cooked, dry-cured and charcuterie meats – was obtained in November 2018 when Maple Leaf Foods acquired Viau Foods.

The company last week reported that there were also workers at its facilities in Brampton, Ontario, and Hamilton, Ontario, who tested positive. To date, only one worker at Hamilton has tested positive, but the number of employees at its poultry plant in Brampton has grown from three to five.

Operations at the Brampton plant have been suspended “to conduct a thorough investigation, complete deep clean of the plant and implement additional protective measures,” Maple Leaf Foods said in its press release. The company has been consulting with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regarding the operations there.

The company added that the decision to reopen the Brampton plant will be made when it believes it is safe to do so. Presently, there are more than 400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the Brampton community.

The plant in Hamilton continues normal operations.

When Maple Leaf Foods first revealed confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Brampton and Hamilton, it highlighted precautionary measures it is taking to prevent the spread of the virus.

” We recognize that our food products are essential in nourishing people, and even more so in times like this. We are committed to continuing to execute our business with excellence, maintaining operational stability and the health of our people and being vigilant in the steps we are taking to mitigate the risk of the spread of the virus in the communities where we operate,” the company stated.

View our continuing coverage of the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.

Page 1 of 210
Next Page