St. Albert’s Cheese Factory, located in the small Francophone town of St. Albert in Eastern Ontario, burned down in a blaze that broke out on Sunday morning. The fire is believed to have broken out in the older part of the building around 10 am yesterday, and firefighters were still combating the blaze well into the evening. Investigators remain unsure of the actual cause of the fire.
Around $4 million dollars of cheese in the warehouse was lost, as well as all the specialized equipment needed to make it, and much of the buildings themselves. Owners are expecting to rebuild, since the factory is the main employer in the town and the annual Curd festival is also a major tourist attraction and moneymaker. As it is, 120 people will be out of work until the factory is rebuilt and running again.
St. Albert’s Cheese was founded in 1894 and is famous for its cheddar and curds, which are often used to make poutine. Don’t be surprised if you notice a difference in quality of your poutine in the coming months, because reports are that following the fire St. Albert’s products are quickly selling out.
[via The Ottawa Citizen]
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Megan Patterson is the Science and Technology Editor at Paper Droids and currently a Toronto Standard intern. She has also written for WORN Fashion Journal, Elevate, and Salon Magazines. She also tweets more than is healthy or wise.
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