Olymel plans to invest over $31M in poultry slaughterhouse near Montreal

photo: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

SAINT-HYACINTHE, QUE — Olymel announced on Monday plans to invest more than $31.5 million in its poultry slaughterhouse, in Saint-Damase (about an hour south of Montreal), which is expected to create more than 80 jobs.

The investment will allow the producer, processor and distributor of pork and poultry meats to equip its plant with additional cutting, boning and packaging lines, in addition to outfitting its new high-capacity facilities with cutting edge technology, Olymel said in a statement.

The move will bring the number of employees at the plant up to close to 500, and will increase the plan’s surface area by 35,200 square feet.

The year-long project will break ground on Monday and will not interfere with the facility’s current production.

In addition to productivity improvements, the project will also expand the cafeteria and employee services area.

With this new investment, Olymel estimates it has invested nearly $ 60 million at its Saint-Damase facility, since 2016.

The factory produces more than 70 million kilograms of poultry products annually.

-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 28, 2020.