North Bay meat processing plant looks to build abattoir, create 150 new jobs

A company called Canada Meat Group is looking to expand its North Bay operations.

With meat processing expected to pick up speed when provincial restrictions ease, the company wants to add an abattoir in addition to its existing meat processing plant.

“When we built our meat processing plant here it was the first stage, and now we’re at the second stage now,” said Canada Meat Group founder and president Oleksandr Zahrebelnyi.

That second stage is to build a 50,000-square-foot abattoir facility in the city. Canada Meat Group is located in the city’s Airport Industrial Park and it has a separate location in mind to build the abattoir. Once complete, it would bring up to 150 new jobs to the city.

A local plant could ease financial burden and stress on shipping cattle to plants elsewhere in Ontario or Quebec, and could mean farmers can grow their livestock count.

“At this moment, farmers have to raise and sell their cattle,” said Zahrebelnyi. “This is their business and their closest buyers and meat processors are down south, west or in Quebec.”

Beef Farmers of Ontario cow/calf director Jason Leblond said an abattoir would be an "incredible opportunity" for the District of Nipissing and its area farmers.

“We have a perfect climate in northern Ontario. The line I use all the time is that ‘We are perfect for cow-calf cattle raising,’” he said. “For us, we’ve seen a decline in cattle in Ontario over a number of years. This one of those things that can turn it around. As farmers, we have the patience to see it through.”

There are about 50,000 cattle on 900 beef farms in northern Ontario.

Currently, only a small portion of Canada Meat Group’s meat is exported to other countries. A new facility would mean a whole new strategy.

“It would be up to 40 per cent for export,” said Zahrebelnyi.

"Canadian beef is some of the best in the world. Sixty per cent would be for domestic market in Ontario and other Canadian provinces."

Zahrebelnyi said Canada Meat Group is expecting construction of its new abattoir to likely begin at the end of the year.