Province’s dynamic economy will offset O’Leary plant closure: premier

Premier Wade MacLauchlan will have none of the doom and gloom many are voicing over plans to shut down a key source of employment in the O’Leary area.

O’Leary Mayor Eric Gavin fears the impact on his town when packing operations cease at Cavendish Farm’s plant near O’Leary at the end of the year, costing 40 local jobs.

MacLauchlan, however, is not sounding overly alarmed.

“I’m confident in that region and generally in the province today,’’ he says.

“There are jobs and a great variety of jobs for people who are looking for work.’’

He notes the 40 job losses are exactly one per cent of the 2,400 new full-time jobs that have been created in P.E.I. in the past two years.

“That’s the nature of a dynamic province,’’ he says.

MacLauchlan is also quick to come to the defence of the Irvingowned company on the heels of Monday’s announcement that Cavendish Farms will be closing its produce packaging plant near O’Leary because of low potato yields over the last two years.

“The Irving companies have publicly advertised that they are looking to hire almost 400 people either in replacement or new positions over the next three or four years in Prince Edward Island,’’ says MacLauchlan.

“This is a very dynamic time.’’