Operations will cease at the harbourfront grain elevator in Owen Sound later this year.
A spokesperson for the United Food and Commercial Workers union told the Owen Sound Sun Times six employees will be affected by the permanent closure of the elevator in December.
Bayshore News confirmed the report, and learned workers were informed last week of the decision by the site’s owner Parrish & Heimbecker to halt operations in Owen Sound by Dec. 18, 2026. The company cited financial reasons for the decision.
“I can confirm that after careful consideration, P & H has decided to permanently close its Owen Sound terminal effective December 18, 2026,” Parrish & Heimbecker Marketing Manager Monika Robertson says in an email. “The decision is part of P & H’s ongoing evaluation of its grain network and long-term infrastructure needs as we continue to align our operations and investments with the future needs of the business and the customers we serve.”
Parrish & Heimbecker — or P & H — has been the sole owner of the local elevator operator in Owen Sound, Great Lakes Elevator Co. Ltd, since 1956, according to historical archives.
The facility operates as a drop-off storage site for grain, an important part of the farm-to-table process.
The elevator opened in 1925 and last year Parrish & Heimbecker celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the first ship to unload at the terminal.
There is no indication about what P & H plans to do with the Owen Sound site after it winds down operations in December.
*Editor’s note: This story was updated from an earlier version to add a statement received from P & H spokesperson.
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