The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Thunder Creek Pork Plant.
The health authority made the announcement on the Government of Saskatchewan website on Nov. 17, although the outbreak occurred on Nov. 16. According to the website, in non-household settings, an outbreak is confirmed when two or more people test positive for COVID-19.
Based in Richmond, British Columbia, Donald’s Fine Foods owns the pork plant, which employs about 265 people in Moose Jaw.
The Moose Jaw Express could not reach Neil Ketilson, industry relations manager for Donald’s Fine Foods, for comment by the time of publication. However, the Express was able to confirm that the plant is still open.
Some of Canada’s largest COVID-19 outbreaks occurred in meat processing plants this spring. Cargill’s plant outside High River, Alta., was linked to more than 1,500 cases in May, while the JBS Canada plant in Brooks, Alta., was connected to hundreds more.
In May, the Saskatchewan government announced that public health inspectors would conduct joint inspections of large meat processing plants to ensure they were complying with pandemic restrictions. The inspections focused on ensuring that the plant operators had implemented adequate COVID-19 mitigation requirements and were in compliance with the Saskatchewan public health order.
Donald’s Fine Foods issued a news release on Nov. 17 that discussed its steps to keep its staff and food products safe. The document made no mention of the outbreak at the Moose Jaw pork plant.
“As we continue to learn how to deal with COVID-19 in all aspects of our daily lives, safety protocols have now become part of our daily lives (and) safety protocols have become part of our daily routines … ,” said the news release. “Employee and food safety continues to be our highest priority and guides us in everything we do.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Donald’s Fine Foods has implemented comprehensive COVID-19 prevention efforts while strictly adhering to food safety standards and guidelines.”
Some of the efforts the company has taken to protect employees include:
- Enforcing physical distancing where possible, including with breaks and providing extra lunch areas
- Temperature checks and daily health questionnaires for staff and visitors
- Strengthening and reinforcing existing sanitation and hygiene practices
- Having alcohol-based hand sanitizers throughout every building
- Mandating the use of face masks
- Cancelling non-essential business travel and limiting inter-building travel
- Prohibiting access to non-essential visitors
The pandemic has highlighted the need to maintain a healthy Canadian food production industry and ensure the food supply chain’s safety, the news release said.
“We will continue to follow the guidance of and co-operate with Public Health Canada, (the) Canadian Food Inspection Agency, provincial health authorities and occupational health and safety,” added the news release, “and (we) will implement recommendations as new information becomes available.”
