Maple Leaf Foods Inc. opened Canada's largest commercial bakery in Hamilton, Ontario, on Sept. 28.
Maple Leaf Foods invested approximately $100 million in the 385,000-sq.-ft. bakery, which will produce white and whole wheat breads, buns, English muffins and tortillas using Canadian wheat. The bakery will support up to 300 full-time jobs with an additional 30 seasonal hourly positions.
The bakery is designed to obtain certification under the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) New Construction program, a green building rating system that covers an explicit set of environmental performance criteria, organized within five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, and indoor environmental quality.
"A bakery of this size and scale in Hamilton means significant benefits to our local economy, providing sustainable jobs and an important anchor development in the Red Hill Valley Industrial Park," said Hamilton mayor Bob Bratina during the opening ceremony.