Mr. Christie's Bakery Redevelopment

[dudedmc]

Since I started working there only 5-6 years ago we had a great view of the lake, on very hot summer days we would have a nice cool breeze coming from the lake.

Now all we have is dust blowing all around and dark almost half empty towers looming.

Yes we have more land then we know what to do with but it creates a buffer from lakeshore blvd.

Its hard to find factories that aren't a big grey box.

Also very little of our production will stay in Canada. I can't count how many different products we make but I would have to guess around 40-50. Only 20 or less will stay in Canada.

Also if you would like to some how support our plant, We make Chips ahoy, Chunks, Triple Chunk and Rainbow chips for all of Canada.

Look for date codes that have "KT" and that is our plant. Call the customer service line and leave a compliment about our production and plant.

As some employess have thought the front lawn would be sold off. Obviously that won't happen.

[Diesel_Power]

Some of these posts are ridiculous. There won't be industrial or manufacturing in this location anymore after Mr. Christie closes up. It's not profitable. No manufacturing company is going to want to setup in this location anymore. The taxes are too high and they don't want to deal with the noise complaints and local traffic.

Send complaints to Mr. Christie? Why? It's their business, they can do what they want with it. They don't owe you a job. You can't force a company's hand into staying at a location they can no longer afford.

All of Toronto's industry and manufacturing is heading up to Vaughn,Brampton, Mississauga while all the office/service/financial/ jobs are coming back downtown.

This plot of land in my opinion is best suited for mixed use development. It's not good to leave this plot of land as employable land because the location is too difficult for 905'ers to get to.

[Taller, Better]

You'd be surprised what effect public opinion has on corporations; witness how businesses in Montreal toe the line and are very leery of offending the public. They want people to continue buying the cookies, and not stop buying them. But, unfortunately, people in Toronto seem quite easy going about corporations pulling out and seem satisfied as long as it appears the jobs will remain in Canada.
The squeaking wheel gets the grease, and we are far too polite to squeak.

[isaidso]

There's also the argument that Canadians should stop fighting one another and work together to build a strong economy. If that means centralizing production in 2-3 plants instead of scattering production to 8-10 plants, so be it.

Healthy competition among Canadian cities makes us all pay closer attention to costs, taxation, regulation, etc. It should make the entire Canadian jurisdiction more competitive globally. As long as the jobs stay in Canada and we develop strong industrial clusters across Canada, I'm happy.

It's not like Toronto is at the short end of the stick all the time. We may be losing some jobs to Montreal, but we're also the beneficiary of these efficiency drives. That said, I believe that Toronto has the 2nd or 3rd largest food processing industry in north America. This is a Toronto industry that is flourishing overall. Sometimes is worthwhile looking at the big picture rather than the individual case.

[Taller, Better]

Originally Posted by isaidso

There's also the argument that Canadians should stop fighting one another and work together to build a strong economy..

Funny, but you never hear that argument in any other corner of the country but Toronto. Everywhere else people are concerned about job losses out of their city.
We should be, too, but we are far too polite to mention it as that would appear too Toronto-centric and therefore un-Canadian.

For the record, I am very sad about Christie's closing this plant and I am a bit shocked and disappointed that apparently not many other people seem to care a bit about it.
And for what? Another condo.

What a crying shame. Another old Toronto factory is shutting up shop bit by bit and moving elsewhere.

[crooked soul]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

Funny, but you never hear that argument in any other corner of the country but Toronto. Everywhere else people are concerned about job losses out of their city.
We should be, too, but we are far too polite to mention it as that would appear too Toronto-centric and therefore un-Canadian.

For the record, I am very sad about Christie's closing this plant and I am a bit shocked and disappointed that apparently not many other people seem to care a bit about it.
And for what? Another condo.

What a crying shame. Another old Toronto factory is shutting up shop bit by bit and moving elsewhere.

Taller, Better !!!!!!... you are awesome !!!!!!..

I 1000000% agree with you...
it is tragic.. and I think it is just a reflection that most folks in our city have become soo complacent and numb to what is happening.. and couldn't care less about the bigger picture going on here..this is just the beginning - if this is any indication.. more jobs will be lost in our city.. more workplaces will be closed- to the point were all that is left is condos that cater to the rich. and honest hardworking folks get the shaft - and that is no exaggeration..I wish it weren't true..but it is slowly happening...
politeness is out... I think arrogance is in..

[Taller, Better]

Christie's Biscuits has been part of Toronto since it was founded here in 1858. It is a major part of our history. I realise that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose...but not to care about it closing a factory here and moving jobs out, simply because it is more economically expedient saddens me...especially when it will be replaced by yet another condo that will quite likely be completely forgettable.

This is a quote from the article in entry number one of this thread:
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1063...ery-in-toronto

"This is a difficult decision, given the role this facility has played within our organization and in the community for 64 years. However, the plant faces some unique challenges resulting from the changing neighborhood surrounding the facility," said Alvaro Cuba, VP Operations for Mondelēz Canada.

"While this was an appropriate location for a large bakery when it was first built, the significant residential development surrounding it has led to operating constraints that will become increasingly difficult with the further residential expansion that is underway. With the facility's aging infrastructure, and underutilized manufacturing capacity, further investment is not a viable option. Therefore, we have determined it is best to close the facility because it no longer supports our strategy of making the most efficient use of our manufacturing assets," he said".
http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1063...ery-in-toronto

Personally I would like the multi-national American corporation Mondelēz to convince us first that it is not a viable option to reinvest in this factory before the bulldozers come out. Are there really and truly no unique solutions to the unique challenges? I think the loyal workers and the citizens of Toronto deserve that.

[rbt]

Originally Posted by Taller, Better

... I realise that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose...

I think Toronto has won far more than it lost.

Scotiabank moved from Halifax to Toronto after being headquartered in Halifax for 68 years.

BMO was in Montreal for 160 years before moving to Toronto.

Royal Bank sucked up dozens of banks from around the country and moved the merged company to Toronto. The time to complain was 1928 when Nabisco bought it.


In the grand reshuffling of companies; very few actually leave the GTA unless they get bought out. Mr. Christie's has been an american company with no management ties to Toronto for nearly 100 years.

[icemachine]

We used to have horse drawn trolleys too. Change happens, and while the City has the right to keep the designation for the area as employment lands, you can't force a company to keep producing a product non-competitively.

[Taller, Better]

It appears there is little support for the factory and its jobs here, anyway.
Bring on the bulldozers, I guess. Can't wait to see what goes up in its place.

[icemachine]

Well since the city has reaffirmed the employment lands designation, I doubt there will be much change in the short term. Once Mendelez moves production out next year they will either board up the place or sell it to someone willing to take a gamble on it.

Maybe some other industry will move in, but I doubt it since they would immediately be subject to NIMBY complaints

[Taller, Better]

Maybe I'd feel less emotional about it if their slogan was: "Mr Mendelez, you make good cookies".

If you are going to try and tap my loyalty and tug at my heartstrings from a boardroom table in Chicago, give me some reason to feel the message.