Sherritt Announces 280 Temporary Layoffs in Fort Saskatchewan

Sherritt International announced on November 4, 2026, that it will temporarily lay off approximately 280 employees at its Fort Saskatchewan refinery in Alberta. The layoffs represent 47% of the company’s Canadian workforce and are expected to last approximately 90 days.

The nickel and cobalt producer stopped refining operations on June 22 after running out of feed inventory. Sherritt is working to restart production but hasn’t confirmed a restart date. Some operations, including fertilizer production, maintenance and safety work, will continue.

Temporarily Laid Off by Sherritt? You May Be Owed Severance.

Just because Sherritt calls the layoffs temporary doesn’t mean employees have to wait 90 days to pursue severance.

Employers can’t temporarily lay off non-unionized employees without their consent or a contractual right to do so. If they do, employees can pursue severance through a constructive dismissal claim.

Non-unionized employees in Alberta can be owed up to 24 months’ compensation, based on their age, years of service, position and employment agreement.

Unionized Sherritt employees must speak with their union representative about their rights under their collective agreement – our employment lawyers do not assist with unionized layoff matters.

Sherritt says employees could be recalled earlier if refining operations resume. The company outlined the layoffs in its November 4 announcement.