TORONTO and MONTRÉAL, Dec. 10, 2025 /CNW/ - On January 25, 2026, Bell Expertech will cease operations, a development that underscores the ongoing difficulties faced by workers in Canada's telecommunications sector. December 5 marked the final working day for most affected employees who received severance packages.
Expertech employed 510 technicians and auxiliary workers and 28 clerical employees in Ontario and Quebec. According to the employer, the closure is the result of a decrease in fibre-optic network construction projects.
Following notice of the closure, Unifor entered discussions with the employer. The union had a clear objective: protect jobs and secure opportunities within the union's remaining bargaining units. Unifor succeeded in negotiating placement for approximately 65% of impacted workers.
"Bell's constant cycle of job cuts treats workers as disposable, draining the company of valuable talent. These workers are more than numbers, they are skilled experts who drive the future of telecommunications," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "While this is not the outcome we hoped for, we succeeded in securing employment for a majority of workers, ensuring their expertise remains in the industry."
"In Quebec and across the country, Bell's decision to shut down Expertech is one more brutal example of a highly profitable corporation turning its back on the very people who built and maintained its network," said Daniel Cloutier, Unifor Quebec Director. "Our members are not a line on a spreadsheet. They are the backbone of critical public infrastructure, and we will keep fighting to put an end to this race to the bottom and to defend good union jobs in telecommunications."
This latest closure reflects a broader pattern affecting Bell workers. Unifor continues to call on Bell to invest in its workforce and prioritize workers' valuable experience and expertise.
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor
For media inquiries in English please contact Unifor Communications Representative Melissa Palermo at [email protected] or at 647-234-2369; For media inquiries in French, contact: Unifor Quebec Communications Representative Véronique Figliuzzi at [email protected].
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