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‘Good news’ ahead for Ontario town set to lose Heinz factory

In November of last year, Heinz announced it would close its Leamington, Ont., processing plant in June 2014. A deal to save some jobs is to be announced Thursday.

Leamington, Ont., is referred to by a few different nicknames. Some call it the "Sun Parlour of Canada," others call it the country's Tomato Capital.

Whatever the name, local residents are surely anxious to have confirmed a recent report that a set-to-be-closed tomato juice factory will remain at least partially in operation.

CBC News first reported that an announcement would be made on Thursday regarding the southwestern Ontario town's Heinz processing plant that would ensure the facility would continue some level of production.

The report suggests the announcement will save 40 per cent of the 740 jobs set to be lost when Heinz shuts down shop in June.

Heinz announced in November that it would be closing the Leamington plant because it had become unprofitable. At the same announcement, the closure of two U.S. facilities was also announced.

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On Wednesday, the closure of two Heinz plants in Belgium and Germany was announced as part of a review on global operations.

Ontario's Ministry of Agriculture has said they were working on a plan to maintain some activity at the facility. Could the Liberals be set for a victory march, ahead of a potential provincial election?

Leamington Mayor John Paterson expressed some skepticism about the news report, stating on Twitter that he was "not sure media's info on Heinz pending announcement is accurate."

By Wednesday afternoon, Paterson had more optimistic news. He told the Windsor Star that Heinz would announce "good news" about the facility on Thursday morning. He added that the company was dealing with a Canadian company that was interested in the plant.

A person with UFCW Canada Local 459, the union representing the affected workers, told Yahoo Canada News that they had heard of the possible deal through media reports.

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If the plant does manage to stay in operation, even at a reduced level, it would surely be big news for the town of some 28,000 people. The juice plant is a significant employer in the community, and tomatoes are ingrained in its culture.

Leamington is home to an annual tomato festival, which includes a Miss Tomato Festival Scholarship Pageant.

A Leamington greenhouse is currently working on a crop of purple tomatoes genetically modified to contain higher levels of anthocynanins – an antitoxin in plums and blueberries that has been found to help combat cardiovascular disease and cancer.

More details should be known on Thursday, but for now Leamington residents will settle for promises of “good news” ahead.

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