Residents in the southeast community of Ramsay can breathe easier as the City of Calgary and the company that owns the Lilydale Plant has announced plans to move the facility away from their homes.
On Tuesday, the city and Sofina Foods Inc. said they are working towards a deal that would see the city to acquire 2126 Hurst Road S.E., where the Lilydale plant is currently located.
It would be moved to a new location in the Dufferin North Industrial Park.
The city says it will be buying the plant for future development of the Green Line LRT.
Officials say the agreement means that the processing plant will be able to remain in the city and employ Calgarians and support food production.
“We are happy to be able to remain in the Calgary area,” said Michael Latifi, founder, chairman and CEO, Sofina Foods Inc. in a release. “As a long-term and a sustainable partner, our commitment to Alberta producers remains unchanged. The new site is ideally situated to ensure a smooth transition for our producers, for our suppliers and for our employees.”
Sofina Foods is planning on building a state-of-the-art facility at the new location that has an estimated opening date of 2020.
Details of the deal will remain confidential until late 2018, when real estate transactions have been finalized and closing conditions have been met.
The Lilydale plant has been a sore point for many Ramsay residents who felt the facility emitted a continuous smell and dust blew in from trucks driving in and out of the factory.
They also said that the noise is constant; with trucks beeping day and night.
The Ramsay plant has operated at that location for over 40 years.
