Sherritt Layoffs: 280 Canadian Employees Face Temporary Cuts as of November 5, 2026

Verified: November 5, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. UTC (UTC+00:00).

Sherritt International plans to temporarily lay off approximately 280 employees, or 47% of its Canadian workforce, while it works to restore metals refining at its Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, refinery. The company expects the layoffs to last about 90 days, but says employees could be recalled earlier if operational needs permit.

The November 4 announcement adds a major workforce consequence to a refinery shutdown that began in June. Sherritt has not announced a firm restart date or identified every position affected, leaving individual workers to rely on their own notices for details.

Destaques

• About 280 Canadian employees are expected to be temporarily laid off; the figure represents 47% of Sherritt’s Canadian workforce.
• The company estimates a roughly 90-day layoff period, with earlier recalls possible, but that is not a guaranteed return date.
• Nickel and cobalt refining stopped on June 22 after the Fort Saskatchewan refinery exhausted its feed inventory.
• Some fertilizer, sulfuric acid, maintenance, environmental protection, and safety work is expected to continue.

What has Sherritt announced about the layoffs?

In its November 4 company announcement, Sherritt described the temporary layoffs as part of its effort to conserve cash while it works toward resuming refining. The approximately 90-day duration is the company’s expectation, and it says it may recall employees sooner depending on operational requirements.

The announcement does not establish a single return date for all affected employees. It also does not say that refining will necessarily resume as soon as the estimated layoff period ends. Both the duration and the timing of any recall depend on developments that remain uncertain.

Who may be affected by the Sherritt layoffs?

The announced figure covers employees in Canada and is tied to the interruption at Fort Saskatchewan. Sherritt did not provide a public breakdown by job title, department, employment status, or work location in the announcement. The 47% figure refers to the company’s Canadian workforce; it should not be read as the share of workers in any particular department or at every site.

Employees whose work depends on metals refining may reasonably be concerned about the shutdown, but the public announcement does not identify which individuals or job categories have received notices. Similarly, the fact that some activities will continue does not establish that every employee associated with those activities will remain at work.

For an individual employee, the practical question is whether a personal notice has been issued and what it says about the effective date and recall process. A supervisor, human resources representative, or union representative, where applicable, is better placed than the company-wide announcement to clarify an individual’s situation.

Why did Sherritt stop refining in Fort Saskatchewan?

The immediate cause of the refining halt was a shortage of feed material. Sherritt said the refinery stopped metals refining on June 22, 2026, after its inventory was depleted. Its operations connect mining and processing at the Moa joint venture in Cuba with further processing and refining in Canada.

Fuel shortages had already disrupted operations in Cuba. Sherritt also said it suspended direct participation in Cuban joint venture activities on May 7 following expanded U.S. sanctions concerning business in Cuba. The company says it has operated under constrained liquidity since then. Those developments help explain the pressure on its Canadian operations, though the company identifies depleted feed inventory as the immediate reason refining stopped.

What work will continue at the Alberta site?

Sherritt says production and sales of ammonia fertilizer and sulfuric acid will continue during the temporary layoff period, along with necessary maintenance and ongoing environmental protection and safety activities. The continuation of those activities matters for the site, but it does not mean nickel and cobalt refining has restarted.

For the surrounding community, the scale of the announced cuts makes the duration of the interruption consequential. A longer pause could affect household spending and demand for local services; the announcement does not quantify those effects, so their size remains uncertain.

What needs to happen before Sherritt can restart refining?

Sherritt says it is working through regulatory, operational, and financial requirements. In its October operations and financial update, the company said it had received a U.S. authorization covering the purchase and delivery of fuel, fuel oil, and sulfur to its Moa Nickel operations in Cuba.

That authorization is a step toward restoring the supply chain, not a complete approval to restart the entire operation. Sherritt said it was the first in a series of emergency licenses needed for mining and processing at Moa and further processing and refining in Canada. Financing and operational preparations also remain relevant to a restart.

The next meaningful developments to watch are further licensing decisions, financing arrangements, a confirmed plan to resume operations, and any specific recall notices. Progress on one item alone would not establish when every employee will return. Conversely, if the conditions for refining are met sooner than expected, Sherritt says earlier recalls are possible.

Frequently asked questions

How many Sherritt employees are affected?

Sherritt plans to temporarily lay off approximately 280 employees, representing 47% of its Canadian workforce.

Are the layoffs permanent?

Sherritt describes them as temporary and expects them to last approximately 90 days. The company has not guaranteed a return date.

Has the Fort Saskatchewan refinery restarted?

Sherritt’s November 4 announcement said it was working toward restoring metals refining. It did not announce a confirmed restart date.