It had been revealed by Shell Canada Ltd. that it will be converting its East Montreal oil refinery into a delivery terminal for petroleum products like gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel from the month of September. The Company took this decision after three of the potential bides opted out from the bidding process.

The move is expected to affect almost 500 employees directly even though the Company claims that these workers will be treated in a fair manner and wall their dues will be cleared. It also will be helping these workers in getting new jobs. Some of them are expected on the conversion project but it has been confirmed that the new facility will only have 25 permanent jobs.

The Company stressed that it wanted to sell this refinery and was trying to find a suitable buyer, but it could not get a suitable offer. It has been trying for the last six month to sell the unit, but could not succeed in its efforts.

Shell Canada stressed that it will offer help to it employees in finding new jobs and did not reveal the financial details of the conversion of the refinery.

It confirmed that product terminal is already present at the refinery and it will continue to serve its customers in Quebec from the refinery. Shell's other refineries in Canada are in Edmonton and Sarnia in Ontario province.