ST-HYACINTHE, QUEBEC – Olymel has started a second slaughter shift at its Ange-Gardien, Montérégie, hog plant. The new shift follows a $3 million investment to renovate the facility. So far, 150 new jobs have been created – bringing the plant’s total to over 700 – and more than 100 jobs will be added in upcoming months. 

"The increase in slaughter capacity at the Ange-Gardien plant fulfills the development goals Olymel set when it acquired F. Ménard,” said Réjean Nadeau, president and chief executive officer of Olymel. “This investment will also allow our company to increase its production of value-added products, such as chilled pork, a product that is particularly popular in the Japanese market that the Ange-Gardien plant already serves, in addition to the domestic market.”

The $3-million renovation included the addition of refrigeration space and freezing capacity, the expansion of the cafeteria and parking areas, and an upgrade of wastewater treatment equipment. The plant's weekly slaughter capacity will increase from 25,000 to 35,000 hogs after the new shift runs for a few weeks. The company hopes the increase in slaughter volume will help improve the backlog of hogs in Quebec.

“In a difficult period, marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, this increase in activity will generate optimism and positive economic spin-offs for the entire Montérégie region,” Nadeau said. “I would like to salute the collaboration of the Agromex workers' union represented by the Centrale des syndicats démocratiques (CSD) for their openness and collaboration throughout the development of this growth project."