MISSISSAUGA — Unifor is sounding the alarm after Boart Longyear, a global mining services company with operations in Canada since the 1930s, told workers it will close its Mississauga manufacturing facility and move operations to China, eliminating 40 unionized jobs.

“Working people are being told their jobs are being shipped to China while politicians talk about securing Canadian supply chains. Talk is not enough—these workers need action now,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “You cannot build a stronger Canadian economy by hollowing out the communities that built it.”

Boart Longyear was founded in the United States in 1890 and has maintained a presence in Ontario for nearly a century. The closure comes at a time when Canada faces mounting pressure to strengthen domestic supply chains and protect strategic industries, particularly in the mining and natural resources sector.

“This is not just about one plant in Ontario. This is about whether Canada is serious about keeping good manufacturing jobs or whether we’re going to let them disappear one closure at a time,” said Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi.

The union is meeting with the employer to secure severance details. The company has not yet clarified the closure date, making future planning more difficult for the affected families.