Trochu is rallying around the workers and their families whose lives have been turned upside down by a fire at a local pork processing plant.
Sunterra Meats is the town's biggest employer with 120 workers supporting themselves and their families through their work at the plant that processes pork for local markets and exports to customers in the U.S., Japan and China.
Trochu Mayor Barry Kletke said efforts to help the workers are in full swing. Town officials have been reaching out to area employers and other communities to see if there are any jobs available for the Sunterra workers who were given temporary layoff notices this week.
The call has gone out for donations and volunteer help for the local food bank, so it is ready to help, and local fundraisers are being organized. Among the events planned for Canada is a food bank fundraiser and the Kneehill Fil-Can Bayanihan Society is holding a July 1 barbecue with all proceeds going to Sunterra workers.
"The community is really rallying behind everybody," said Kletke. "Businesses and residents are all asking what we can do.
"A lot of people really want to get out there and do something."
The town is already busy looking for ways it can help, positioning itself to collect donations and job tips and connecting the workers with whatever help they need.
"We're trying to figure something to make sure we can help out and keep them here," he said.
"They're all fantastic workers. Everyone working at that plant is top shelf and as hard a worker as anywhere."
A priority is finding temporary jobs for the workers. Employment insurance only covers 55 per cent of their wage for less than a year so finding them other work would make a big difference in making the next few months less stressful.
The layoffs have an effect on entire families, including children. Kletke said the town is already planning events this summer to help them cope with what may be an anxious situation at home for many.
Efforts are also underway to explore ways to help financially by sponsoring families and providing them money towards their household expenses, rents or mortgage payments.
Kletke said options must be researched carefully because they do not want to do something that has an impact on their employment insurance eligibility or payments.
Many of the plant's workers are immigrants from Philippines, Mexico, Ukraine, Cameroon among other countries. Some of them are recent arrivals, so the town has already reached out to local MP Damien Kurek to navigate red tape around work visas or other employment requirements that could be affected by a temporary layoff status
Kletke praised Sunterra for its efforts. "I do feel Sunterra is making their best efforts to help people."
The company rented out a local community hall this week to meet with employees and let them know what is happening. A federal employee who deals with employment insurance joined one session by Zoom to provide advice and answer questions.
Sunterra director Glen Price said the temporary layoffs were required for workers to apply for employment insurance.
"Of course, that's the main first step for them to get support. We don't know for how long or how much of a challenge it will be for staff until we can come up with a plan, said Price."
The plant employed about 120, including around 10 in management, most of whom will continue to work at the plant as it gets back on its feet.
"We're just working through assessing the damage and what will be required to restore the plant," said Price. "We should know better within a week or two in terms of what the steps are and the plan forward."
The fire started about 4:30 p.m. after all the workers but one had left for the day.
It has been determined arson was not involved but the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Any who would like to provide help with donations or job opportunities are asked to call the Town of Trochu at 403-442-3085.