LONGUEUIL, QUE — Boulangeries Weston Quebec, a subsidiary of George Weston Ltd., said it will close its Longueuil bakery by Dec. 31 after an evaluation revealed “significant and recurring reliability issues” at the facility that resulted in higher costs and lower customer service levels.

“Our preference was to conduct an in-depth evaluation of the Longueuil operations and take the necessary corrective measures to attain a satisfactory reliability level — one that would compare with the other plants of the company,” said Sylvain Roussel, vice-president of human resources. “Status quo was not an acceptable option. In addition, rigid work schedules at Longueuil prevented Weston from meeting the delivery requirements of its customers. With the future of the plant at stake, we have been transparent in exposing and discussing the issues with union representatives.”

The company said it gradually will transfer production from the Longueuil plant to other Weston facilities in Quebec. Weston operates 25 bread and cake plants in Canada, including six in Quebec. In addition to Longueuil, the company’s Quebec facilities are located in Gatineau, Montmagny, Napierville, St. Thomas De Joliette, and Ste. Foy.