Sherritt International Lays Off 47 Percent of Canadian Staff

Sherritt International Corp. is temporarily laying off approximately 280 employees, which accounts for 47 percent of its Canadian workforce. The layoffs are expected to last about 90 days as the company attempts to restore operations at its refinery in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta.

Refining operations were shut down earlier this year after the company exhausted its feed inventory from the Moa mine in Cuba. Operations at the Moa joint venture were paused due to fuel shortages in Cuba, which followed a January decision by the United States government to cut off oil access from Venezuela.

To resolve the crisis, the company recently obtained an initial emergency license from the United States government to purchase and deliver fuel to the Moa mine. This delivery is a necessary step toward restarting the mine and restoring the supply chain to the Canadian refinery. During the layoff period, the company will continue the production and sales of ammonia fertilizer and sulphuric acid, while maintaining safety and environmental protection work.