Rebate offer not a factor in Halifax Canada Bread closure

Canada Bread says the decision to close a bakery in Halifax and consolidate operations in New Brunswick was made before a payroll rebate was offered by the New Brunswick government.

Sylvia Sicuso says the rebates were not a deciding factor in closing the bakery, which will result in the loss of more than 100 jobs.

Sicuso says Invest New Brunswick has made an offer of $6,100 per full-time employee if new jobs at bakeries in Moncton and Woodstock are maintained for three years, but the company has yet to accept the offer and no money has been received.

On Tuesday, a spokesman for Premier Brian Gallant's office said the payroll rebate could total $240,000 if 40 full-time jobs were created.

But Sicuso says the company plans to create 35 jobs, putting the total at $213,500 if all the jobs were full-time and maintained for three years.

She says if the payroll rebate offer is accepted, the total would be less than that because not all the jobs will be full-time.