Fletcher’s Fine Foods still plans to construct a $12 million bacon plant in Edmonton although delays are expected.
The site, which once held a Gainers meat packing plant, has environmental problems the company has to tackle first, said George Paleologou, a vice-president with Fletcher’s.
“We fully intend to proceed obviously. We’re trying to work with the government to make sure the property is cleaned up properly. They are small things but they need to be done,” said Paleologou. He refused to cite specifics.
Gainers operated its former hog slaughtering plant beginning in 1907. It was then operated by Burns Foods and Maple Leaf Foods.
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“In (earlier) days they didn’t follow the same procedures and rules when it came to environmental issues. We’re in the process of making sure that the property is clean.”
Fletcher’s announced in December its agreement in principle with the Alberta government to buy 27 acres of the 47-acre site. Construction was to begin in May or June with the plant to open this fall.
The company won’t buy the property until it is cleaned up but may lease it in the meantime, said Paleologou, who hopes the issue will be resolved in the next month or two. He doesn’t know when construction will start.
Once the plant is running, it is expected to employ 150 people and produce one million pounds of bacon a week. Bacon may not be the only meat produced, added Paleologou.
“The property is very large and we made the agreement of principle on the basis that we have a lot of property to expand on and do other things there.”
Pork for the operation will come from Fletcher’s Red Deer, Alta., plant, said Paleologou. If more is needed Fletcher’s will buy it from the open market, he said, adding supply won’t be a problem.
