Hershey to close Dartmouth chocolate plant

Nearly 600 people will lose their jobs when the Moirs chocolate factory in Dartmouth closes at the end of the year.

"What is life after here?" said Ken Drake, a workerat the plant for12 years. "It's the unknown that's scaring people."

Like many of the 580 employees, Drake is unsure what he will do when the factory shuts down.

U.S.-based Hershey, Moirs' parent company,announced Wednesday that its last Canadian factory will close by December as it looks for ways to reduce costs to stay competitive.

Spokesman Kirk Saville said the Dartmouth factory is only operating at 30 per cent capacity. Production will be shifted toMexico and subcontractors in Canada, he added.

Marilyn More, the MLA for the area, went down to the plant Wednesday as soon as she heard the news.

"Although there hadbeen some symptoms that things weren't the way they should be,everyone, I think, is quite shocked that this decision has been made," she said.

The shutdown is particularly upsetting because taxpayers helpedpay tomodernize and expand the factory just four years ago, More added.

"We've invested millions of dollars in upgrading this plant to make it top of the line, and I'm very upset on behalf of the provincial taxpayer that this is happening."

More said she's going to show her sympathy for the workers by boycotting Hershey products.

Hershey, which has owned theDartmouth factory since 1987, said it's negotiating severance packages for workers.