HGS call centre to close in Thunder Bay

Thunder Bay is losing a second call centre in less than two months. HGS is shutting downits operation in the city.

Staff were getting notices today, an employee at HGS Thunder Bay told CBC News.

The City of Thunder Bay confirmed the company had indicatedit would be terminating its lease with the city at Victoriaville Mall within six months.

More than 100 people work at HGS.

In February theTeleperformance call centreannounced it was closing its Thunder Bay location, putting about 160 people out of work.

Closure 'sad news,' said mayor

City officials had heard rumblings a few months ago that HGS could pull out of Thunder Bay, said mayor Keith Hobbs. He added that his thoughts are with the employees that are now out of work.

"Those aren't high, high paying jobs, but 14to16-dollar-an-hour jobs nonetheless, and 137 people I believe are now losing their livelihood," he said.

One of the reasons the company told city officials that it was leaving was because it was having difficulty recruiting workers here, Hobbs continued, saying the company cited low unemployment numbers in the city.

The city will now begin a search for a new tenant to occupy the space in Victoriaville that HGS will be vacating. City staff said it will be marketed across Canada and the United States, with the objective ofbringing new jobs to Thunder Bay.