Here are some companies that made headlines following announcements of major personnel movements in May 2024.
HIRINGS
AtkinsRéalis Canada, the Canadian division of the former SNC-Lavalin, must hire massively to meet the growing demand for energy infrastructure, particularly for Hydro-Québec. The president, Stéphanie Vaillancourt, emphasizes that the company will recruit not only engineers, but also biologists, environmentalists and other specialists. In 2023, AtkinsRéalis has hired more than 4,000 employees globally. Hydro-Québec plans to invest 160 billion over 10 years to modernize its equipment and increase its production capacity. Vaillancourt, president since last fall, manages 4,700 employees in Canada and supervises 4,000 annual projects. AtkinsRéalis is involved in several major projects, such as the REM and the new Île d’Orléans bridge.
BC Ferries is launching its largest recruitment drive in response to staffing shortages that have led to post-pandemic sailing cancellations. A recent report shows a 52% turnover among ferry employees over the past two years. Spokeswoman Deborah Marshall points out that many employees are nearing retirement, making the situation worse. BC Ferries has implemented measures like cross-training and overtime, but bringing in more staff is crucial since vessels cannot sail without adequate staffing for safety reasons. To attract candidates, BC Ferries organized a job fair in Victoria on March 15 and 16, and is continuing recruitment actions.
Quebec raising minimum wage
Starting May 1, 2024, the Quebec government will increase the minimum wage by $0.50, bringing the general rate to $15.75 per hour. Tipped employees will see their minimum wage rate increase to $12.60.
British Columbia will increase the minimum wage to $17.40 per hour starting June 1, 2024.
And from October 1, 2024: Manitoba: $15.80 per hour, Ontario: $17.20 per hour, Prince Edward Island: $16.00 per hour, Saskatchewan: $15.00 per hour
DISMISSALS
The Insurance company Industrial Alliance laid off 62 employees in its Montreal and Quebec offices last month, according to documents from the Ministry of Labor. Among them, 50 worked in the Grande Allée offices in Quebec, the others in Montreal. According to the notice of collective dismissal published by the ministry, these staff reductions date from April 22.
After 75 years of existence, the Rayonese mattress fabric manufacturing plant in Saint-Jérôme is closing its doors and laying off 177 workers to move part of its production to North Carolina, in the United States. The news was announced Wednesday afternoon by American parent company Culp, which decided to move production to Stokesdale, closer to its headquarters in High Point.
According to the notice received by the government, the collective layoff will take place between the end of July 2024 and December 31, 2024. The director of the factory for 29 years, Patrick Deschênes, shared his shock, mentioning that some employees had until at 50 years of seniority. He said the decision to move was due to a drop in sales rather than production costs.
The mayor of Saint-Jérôme, expressed his sadness but remains optimistic for the future of the region, hoping that new companies, particularly in the electricity sector, will compensate for this historic loss.
The Montreal company CAE, facing financial difficulties, has laid off 75 employees linked to its global headquarters in the Saint-Laurent. CAE, manufacturer of flight simulators and provider of training services for the airline industry, is on the list of companies having filed a collective dismissal notice with the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity. Management, led by Marc Parent, specified that 40% of licensees belonged to the health division, recently sold for $311 million. The layoffs are aimed at reducing costs in the face of an uncertain economic environment. CAE has committed $23.5 million in restructuring and integration, despite government support of $340 million in 2021 for technology investments. Disappointing financial results for the third quarter led to a reduction in the stock market target and the sale of $45 million in shares by Mackenzie Financial.
Soucy Baron, a subsidiary of the Soucy Group known for manufacturing NHL pucks, will lay off nearly 20% of its staff in Saint-Jérôme, or 33 employees, on May 17. These layoffs follow a drop in orders, mainly in the motorsport market, according to general manager Pierre Provencher. They are in addition to the 75 layoffs planned at Soucy International in Drummondville, another subsidiary of the Soucy Group, on May 24.
Soucy Baron, formerly Baron Caoutchouc, manufactures rubber parts for motor vehicles and machinery. The Soucy Group recently received $16 million in aid from Investissement Québec to build an automated warehouse in Drummondville for its subsidiary Kimpex. In February, Soucy also received a $5M grant from Ottawa to increase its production capacity and create more than 125 jobs. The Soucy Group also received $12 million for its Sherbrooke factory in 2023.