Photo by Curtis Galbraith

By Curtis Galbraith

Meat

Federal money to help worker safety at meatpacking plants

Mar 2, 2021 | 1:35 PM

The federal government says 24 meatpacking plants in the three prairie provinces are getting $7.8 million in help from the federal government.

This is to be used to boost safety measures at plants through buying re-usable personal protective equipment and barriers, coming up with employee training, and improve cleaning practices.

The money is coming from the federal government’s $77.5 million Emergency Processing Fund, money set aside to help plants keep workers safe.

Sixteen of the plants are in Alberta. JBS Foods in Brooks is the biggest recipient, getting just over $800,000. The Cargill plant in High River is not on the list

Here is the complete list of all 24 plants:

Alberta

· Aliya’s Foods Limited – $406,999

· Bouvry Export Calgary Ltd. – $27,150

· Bry-Conn Developments Inc. – $16,576

· Canada Lamb Processors Ltd.- $22,404

· Cut-Rite Meats Ltd. – $71,432

· Forestburg Meat Processing Inc. – $137,271

· Harmony Beef Company Limited – $88,134

· Irvings Farm Fresh Ltd. – $44,250

· JBS Food Canada – $804,912

· Provost Packers Ltd. – $49,980

· Ryley Sausage (1991) Ltd. – $44,182

· Serben Farms – $14,500

· Soleterra d’Italia – $231,096

· Spolumbo’s Fine Foods & Deli – $69,472

· Trochu Meat Processors Ltd. – $63,287

· Viva Deli Inc. – $70,184

Saskatchewan

· Drake Meat Processors Inc. – $49,500

· Pineview All Natural Meats Inc. – $40,000

· Prairie Pride Natural Foods Ltd. – $14,175

Manitoba

· 6381023 Manitoba Ltd. – $320,000

· East 40 Packers Ltd. – $99,999

· HyLife Ltd. – $3,670,334

· Timothy’s Country Butcher Shop – $32,174

· Winkler Meats Ltd. – $1,447,693

The government also says in a release Olymel will be receiving $1.6 million from the Emergency Processing Fund to improve safety at its plants in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This is in addition to the $7.8 million for the other 24 projects.

The Olymel plant in Red Deer was temporarily closed after hundreds of workers got sick with COVID-19. Three of them died.

While making the announcement, cabinet minister Jim Carr said federal funding will be available to help pork producers with expenses such as added feed costs.

Carr did not give details of what help might be available.

Olymel estimates there’s a backlog of 80,000 to 90,000 animals that should be cleared within four to five weeks once the plant reopens.

-with files from The Canadian Press