Nearly two months after a fire caused significant smoke damage to Foodland in Cannington, restoration work is getting underway.

In an interview Wednesday (Feb. 20), franchise owner Rod Skinner said that crews are starting to work on the interior of the store.

“Thing are finally starting to roll,” he said.

Given the current schedule, the store should reopen at some point in mid April.

“We were hoping to get things wrapped up before the Foodland in Beaverton closed (on March 31) but unless there’s a small miracle, it will be a couple weeks after that,” he said.

“There’s lots to do but it’ll get done. And we’ll be new and improved, that’s for sure.”

The fire broke out around 6 a.m. on Dec. 24 after a freezer malfunctioned. While it was quickly extinguished, none of the stock – worth an estimated $250,000 – could be salvaged.

Skinner thanked customers for their ongoing support through the closure.

“We’d really like to thank the community for their kind thoughts and words. We miss our customers as much as they miss us, if not more.”

As the only grocery store in the village, the closure has had a significant impact on local residents, particularly those that don’t have transportation.

To help fill that void, Ward 3 Councillor Walter Schummer established a shuttle service to Fisher’s Your Independent Grocer in Beaverton on Wednesdays and Fridays starting at 11 a.m.

Coun. Schummer has said the temporary service – which is only designed for those that do not have access to transportation – will operate until Foodland re-opens.

Spots on the shuttle can be booked by sending an email to wschummer@townshipofbrock.ca or by calling 705-432-8464.