Facilities News
Sudden Closure of Vertis Fort Erie Plant Draws Ire

The closure of the Stevensville plant owned by Vertis has drawn harsh criticism from the CEP employee union. Vertis has reportedly refused to pay out termination and severance for its more than 100 workers. Stevensville is a small community in the town of Fort Erie, Ontario.

The action has caused Niagara Falls MPP Kim Craitor to become involved. According to Bullet News of Niagara, Craitor has offered to assist the union in its efforts against Vertis, but has not gotten a formal request as of yet.

The Stevensville plant was one of three plants not part of Quad/Graphics’ purchase of Vertis assets. The plant is Vertis’ only Canadian facility. 

“A company does not have the right to shut down without notice or compensation for the employees that have worked for them, many for most of their lives,” writes Dan Wickson, president of Communications Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 425G.

Baltimore-based Vertis filed for bankruptcy three times in recent history, first in 2008 during a merger with American Color Graphics, a second time in November of 2010 while being US$700 million in debt, and finally in October of last year, where it was finally purchased by Quad/Graphics.