Maple Leaf Foods suspends operations in Brampton

Maple Leaf Foods headquarters in Mississauga, Ont.
Photo: Maple Leaf Foods

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has suspended operations at its Brampton, Ont. poultry plant to complete an investigation of three COVID-19 cases involving three employees.

The the manufacturer of food products, based in Mississauga, Ont., said it is taking the action to conduct a full risk assessment. It is also “deep cleaning” the plant, including its common areas and offices.

The company did not provide a restart date, other than to say it will not resume operations “until we are confident that it is safe to return to work.”

An employee at its Heritage plant in Hamilton was also infected, Maple Leaf said in a release, but had not been present at the plant for two weeks prior to the diagnosis. A “thorough sanitation” was conducted and the plant is now operating.

To combat the pandemic, the food processor said its procedures include:

• Increased, frequent sanitation of all common areas such as break rooms, washrooms, locker rooms and cafeterias.
• Social distancing through increased spacing on production lines where possible.
• Staggered breaks and shifts to prevent groups from forming.
• Conversion of offices to break rooms and the use of trailers to decrease the density of our people during breaks.
• Phasing in of temperature screening of all front-line employees as we receive temperature scanners at all sites.

The company is also working closely with its supply chain and logistics partners to deliver safe food safely.