Quick answer: the 12 food production jobs hiring in the GTA right now are Chocolate Production Operator; General Production Worker, Night Shift; Production Associate with Built-In Raises; Mixer / Scaler; Oven Operator; Baker or Cake Decorator; Confectionery Packaging Line Operator; Forklift Operator in a Freezer Bakery; Shipper / Receiver, Freezer; Sanitation Worker; Quality Assurance Technician, Nights and Maintenance Mechanic or Millwright.

The holiday baking and confectionery season is the busiest stretch of the year for food plants across the Greater Toronto Area. Shortbread, panettone, boxed chocolates, cookie tins and frozen pastries all have to be made, packed and shipped to retailers well before December, which is why plants in Etobicoke, Concord, Brampton, Toronto and nearby Brantford are posting production, packaging, warehouse and quality roles right now. This guide lists 12 real food production jobs, with verified pay from employer postings, wage benchmarks from Job Bank, and the Ontario rules that decide your overtime and holiday pay.

All pay figures below were checked against live employer careers pages and government sources in October 2026. Postings change quickly in peak season, so always confirm the current rate on the posting before you apply. Ontario’s general minimum wage is now $17.95 per hour (effective October 1, 2026), and every role below pays at or above that floor.

What’s in This Guide

• Why GTA Food Plants Hire for the Holidays
• Roles at a Glance: Job Bank Wages and Posted Pay
• The 12 Food Production Jobs Hiring Now
• GTA and Ontario Employers, Sites and Careers Pages
• Weekly Earnings: Worked Examples
• Certifications and Requirements That Get You Hired
• Shifts, Overtime and Holiday Pay in a Food Plant
• How to Apply Fast for Holiday Food Production Jobs
• Frequently Asked Questions

Why GTA Food Plants Hire for the Holidays

Holiday confectionery and baked goods are planned months ahead. Retailers want seasonal product on shelves by November, so plants ramp up mixing, baking, enrobing and packing lines through the fall and keep shipping and sanitation crews busy into January. Several big Ontario producers are also adding capacity. Ferrero is investing $445 million in its Brantford facility, with about 500 new jobs that will bring its regional workforce to more than 1,800. Nestlé Canada has completed a $50 million expansion of its Sterling Road confectionery plant in Toronto, where about 550 people make KitKat, Aero, Smarties and Coffee Crisp. Bimbo Canada (Canada Bread) lists open production, shipping and sanitation roles in Etobicoke, Concord, Brampton, Scarborough and Hamilton on its careers page.

The practical result for jobseekers: entry-level production roles, skilled operator roles and warehouse roles are all open at the same time, and many of them pay well above minimum wage once you add shift premiums. If you are also weighing warehouse work, compare these roles with our guide to holiday warehouse jobs in the GTA and our broader list of seasonal jobs hiring across Canada this winter.

Roles at a Glance: Job Bank Wages and Posted Pay

The table below pairs each role type with its National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, the most recent Job Bank wage benchmark we could verify for the Toronto area, and an actual posted rate from a GTA or Ontario employer. Job Bank figures are prevailing wages from past survey data, so posted rates in 2026 often run higher.

NOC codes confirmed via WorkBC career profiles for labourers in food and beverage processing (95106), bakers (63202, which includes cake decorators), material handlers (75101, which includes forklift operators) and testers and graders in food and beverage processing (94143). Note that several Job Bank low-end figures ($17.20 or $17.60) reflect older minimum wages; no employer can pay less than $17.95 today.

The 12 Food Production Jobs Hiring Now

1. 1. Chocolate Production Operator (Ferrero, Brantford)

   Ferrero’s Brantford plant at 1 Ferrero Boulevard makes Nutella and Ferrero Rocher, the boxed chocolate that dominates Canadian holiday gift aisles. Its current Canadian posting lists Production Operators at $24.13 to $27.25 per hour, on either 8-hour rotating shifts (days, afternoons, nights) or 12-hour continental shifts with a two-week rotation. Premiums are generous: $4.00/hr on weekends and $1.65/hr on nights for continental crews, and $0.65 (afternoons) or $0.85 (nights) for 8-hour crews.

   Worked example: a 40-hour day week at the starting rate pays $965.20 before deductions. Three 12-hour continental nights (36 hours) pay $928.08 with the night premium, before any weekend premium. Insight: the posting asks for mechanical aptitude, comfort with heavy lifting and PPE, and lists SAP and food manufacturing experience as assets, so line experience from any plant transfers. With about 500 new jobs tied to the expansion, Brantford is worth the drive from Hamilton or Milton. Advantage Brantford also lists Forklift Operator / Material Handler and Shift Supervisor openings at the site.

2. 2. General Production Worker, Night Shift (Bimbo Canada, Etobicoke)

   Bimbo Canada, which makes Dempster’s, Stonemill, Villaggio and other brands, posts a General Production Worker role at 271 Attwell Drive, Etobicoke paying $20.45 per hour plus a $0.50 night premium from 11 PM to 7 AM, with weekly pay, a benefits package, PPE and a $150 safety boot reimbursement. The shift runs 11 PM to 7:30 AM and the site operates 24/7.

   Worked example: five nights with 40 premium-eligible hours pays $838.00 a week. Compare that with the Job Bank benchmark for confection labourers in the Toronto region, a median of $18.00/hr in December 2024 data, and you can see why night plant work often beats retail. Insight: the posting asks for no formal education, just physical capability (lifting up to 50 lbs), GMP awareness and an “excellent work and attendance record.” Scaling and mixing experience is an asset, which makes this a realistic first step toward a mixer job paying $26 or more.

3. 3. Production Associate with Built-In Raises (Bimbo Canada, Concord)

   At 711 Rivermede Road in Concord, Bimbo Canada is hiring full-time permanent Production Associates on days (Monday to Thursday 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM, Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM). Pay starts at $22.20 per hour, rises to $22.72 after six months and to $24.76 after 12 months, paid weekly, with a $160 boot reimbursement and an Employee Assistance Program.

   Worked example: a 40-hour week pays $888.00 at the start and $990.40 after a year, a gain of $102.40 per week for the same hours. Insight: published wage progressions are rare in entry-level food jobs, and they matter if you want a seasonal role to become a career. The Ontario-wide Job Bank median for food and beverage processing labourers was $19.00/hr in December 2024 data, so even the starting rate sits comfortably above the benchmark. Expect flexibility requests: the posting notes the site runs 24/7 and start times may change.

4. 4. Mixer / Scaler (FGF Brands, GTA)

   FGF Brands, a Toronto-area maker of breads, flatbreads and sweet goods, is hiring a Team Member, Mixer/Scaler (posted October 6, 2026 on its careers site) at $26.15 per hour, with $1/hr for night hours and $2/hr for weekend hours. Mixers weigh and verify ingredients against the batch list, record lot codes, run mixing equipment, use scales and thermometers, and enter inventory into the plant system.

   Worked example: a 40-hour week that includes eight Saturday hours pays $1,062.00. Insight: mixing is one of the highest-paid entry points on the production floor because errors at this stage ruin entire batches. Job Bank’s bakery machine operator benchmark shows a Toronto-area median of $20.99/hr, so this posting pays roughly $5 an hour above the benchmark. The posting asks for prior manufacturing experience (food or bakery preferred), basic math, attention to detail and the ability to lift 25 kg. If your resume shows accurate record-keeping, lead with it.

5. 5. Oven Operator (FGF Brands, GTA)

   FGF Brands also lists a Team Member, Oven Operator role at $24.15 per hour plus a $2/hr weekend premium. Shifts can be days, afternoons, nights or weekends. The job requires spotting quality issues as product exits the oven, following GMP and food safety procedures, lifting 50 lbs and working comfortably in a hot environment.

   Worked example: a 40-hour week with two weekend shifts (16 hours) pays $998.00. Insight: holiday sweet goods are unforgiving on bake times and colour, so oven operators who can read a product, not just a timer, are valued. Heat is the real screening factor: if you have worked a hot kitchen line or a commercial dish pit, say so. Operators who prove reliable on ovens are often cross-trained on mixing, which at FGF pays $2 more per hour. FGF currently lists more than 30 openings across the GTA, Woodbridge, Mississauga and Pickering on its careers site.

6. 6. Baker or Cake Decorator (Commercial and In-Store Bakeries)

   Bakers and cake decorators fall under NOC 63202. Job Bank’s most recent data for bakers in Ontario, updated November 19, 2025, shows a Toronto-region range of $17.60 (low), $19.21 (median) and $25.63 (high), with Toronto paying more than the Ontario median of $17.60. Because the low end reflects the 2025 minimum wage, any 2026 offer must now be at least $17.95.

   Worked example: at the Toronto median, a 40-hour week pays $768.40, compared with $718.00 at minimum wage. Insight: the spread between median and high (more than $6/hr) rewards skill, especially seasonal decorating such as gingerbread, yule logs and custom holiday cakes. Bring photos of your work to every interview. In commercial plants the same skills can lead to roles like FGF’s sweet goods and icing team. If you are new to the trade, many bakeries start helpers on production tasks first, so apply even if you have only home or school baking experience.

7. 7. Confectionery Packaging Line Operator (Nestlé Toronto and Mondelez East York)

   Holiday confectionery is packed into gift boxes, advent calendars and multipacks, which keeps packaging lines running hard through the fall. Nestlé Canada’s Sterling Road plant employs about 550 people and has just added a new flexible moulding line to raise KitKat and Aero throughput. In East York, Mondelez Canada’s bakery employs over 450 people and makes Oreo, Peek Freans and Lifestyle biscuits around the clock.

   Worked example: at Job Bank’s Toronto-area median for food machine operators of $20.99/hr, a 40-hour week pays $839.60. Insight: neither employer published an hourly operator rate we could verify this month, so check Nestlé Canada careers and the Mondelez careers site often, because hourly roles open and close fast. Packaging operators who can handle changeovers, film splices and code-date checks are in demand, and those skills transfer directly to the Ferrero and Bimbo roles above.

8. 8. Forklift Operator in a Freezer Bakery (FGF Brands, GTA)

   FGF Brands’ Team Member, Forklift Operator role pays $26.15 per hour, plus $1/hr on nights and $2/hr on weekends. Requirements: a valid Raymond reach and counterbalance operator licence from a recognized training provider, one year of reach and counterbalance experience in manufacturing, RF scanning experience and the ability to work in a freezer.

   Worked example: a full 40-hour night week pays $1,086.00. The Job Bank benchmark for forklift truck operators near Toronto was a median of $20.00/hr (high $28.21) in December 2024 data. Insight: Ontario does not issue a government forklift licence. Under Regulation 851, the operator must be a competent person and the employer is responsible for establishing that competence; “licence” in postings means a training certificate. Getting both reach and counterbalance on your card makes you eligible for far more postings. See our guide to certifications that boost warehouse pay.

9. 9. Shipper / Receiver, Freezer (Bimbo Canada, Brampton)

   Shipping keeps holiday product moving to stores. Bimbo Canada’s Shipper/Receiver, Freezer role at 107 Walker Drive, Brampton pays $27.90 per hour to start, $28.70 after six months and $29.50 after 12 months, on Monday to Friday days (7:00 AM to 3:30 PM) in a -18 C freezer. A second Shipper posting at 20 Resolution Drive, Brampton pays $26/hr on four 10-hour afternoon shifts (2:00 PM to 12:30 AM, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday).

   Worked example: the four-by-ten schedule pays $1,040.00 for 40 hours with three days off. Assuming 40 paid hours, the freezer role pays $1,116.00 to start and $1,180.00 after a year. Insight: the freezer premium is built into the base rate, so it is among the best-paid entry routes in food logistics. The freezer posting lists experience on dock stockers, walkies, counterbalance and swing reach equipment as preferred. Dress for cold: insulated layers matter more than you think on a full shift.

10. 10. Sanitation Worker (Bimbo Canada, Hamilton, and GTA plants)

    Every food plant runs sanitation crews, and holiday production means more changeovers and deeper cleans. Bimbo Canada’s part-time Sanitation role at 745 Nebo Road, Hamilton pays $23.35 per hour: a 12-hour Saturday shift (noon to midnight or 6 PM to 6 AM), an 8-hour Sunday shift and an optional weekday shift. Duties include mixing and applying sanitation chemicals, running foamers, power washers and floor scrubbers, and keeping accurate records.

    Worked example: the Saturday and Sunday shifts alone (20 hours) pay $467.00 a week, a strong weekend income for students or people holding a weekday job. Insight: the posting requires working knowledge of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and WHMIS, and lifting of 50 to 75 lbs. WHMIS training is something you can complete before applying, which puts you ahead. Under federal Safe Food for Canadians Regulations preventive controls, licensed food plants must control sanitation, so these crews are never optional. FGF also lists a Sanitation Facilities Coordinator role for experienced candidates.

11. 11. Quality Assurance Technician, Nights (FGF Brands, GTA)

    FGF Brands is hiring a Quality Assurance Technician (Night Shift) at $27.65 per hour. The role runs process checks across production, packaging, sanitation and warehouse, including GMP audits, metal detection checks, label and code-date checks and product weights, and places suspect product on hold. It requires two or more years of QA experience (food preferred), relevant post-secondary education and knowledge of HACCP and GMP; BRC experience is an asset.

    Worked example: a 40-hour week pays $1,106.00. Insight: holiday products bring more allergen risk (nuts, dairy, wheat in mixed gift boxes) and more label changes, so QA staffing is tight in the fall. If you have a food science diploma but no plant experience, start as a production worker and ask about QA cross-training. The next step up is visible too: Nestlé’s QA Team Leader role at 72 Sterling Road, Toronto lists CAD $75,000 to $80,000 a year on an 18-month contract.

12. 12. Maintenance Mechanic or Millwright (FGF Pickering and Ferrero Brantford)

    Lines that run 24/7 through the holiday rush need people who can fix them. FGF Brands’ Maintenance Mechanic role in Pickering pays $41 to $49 per hour depending on experience and certifications, plus $1/hr nights and $2/hr weekends, on a continental schedule rotating days and nights every two weeks. It asks for a millwright licence or equivalent experience and two years of mechanical experience. Ferrero’s Brantford posting lists Maintenance Millwrights at $45.48/hr (433A licence, or 8+ years unlicensed) and Electrician/PLC Technicians at $45.48 to $49.16/hr.

    Worked example: a 40-hour week at FGF pays $1,640.00 to $1,960.00 before premiums. Insight: this is where production careers go. Operators with mechanical aptitude can pursue a millwright apprenticeship; Bimbo Canada currently lists a 3rd or 4th year Millwright Apprentice role in Hamilton and Millwright roles in Concord on its careers page.

GTA and Ontario Employers, Sites and Careers Pages

Apply directly through careers pages wherever you can. Each employer below has a verified Ontario production site and an active careers channel.

Site details come from employer postings and trade coverage: Mars Newmarket Maltesers facility, Mondelez East York bakery, and Voortman Burlington sale to Second Nature Brands (about 300 employees transferred). Mars currently shows technician postings for Newmarket in search results, but we could not verify hourly production rates for Mars, Mondelez or Voortman this month.

Weekly Earnings: Worked Examples

These are gross weekly earnings before tax, CPP and EI deductions, using posted rates. Premiums are only included where the posting states them.

The gap is striking: the same 40 hours can be worth $718.00 or more than $1,086.00 depending on the role, the shift and whether you hold a forklift competency card. Over an eight-week holiday season, the difference between a minimum-wage job and the FGF forklift role is $2,944.00 gross.

Certifications and Requirements That Get You Hired

Most food production roles do not require a diploma, but plants screen hard on safety and hygiene. Here is what matters and what is actually required.

Physical requirements are real screening criteria: postings above ask for lifting from 25 kg up to 75 lbs, standing for long periods, and working in heat (ovens) or cold (-18 C freezers). Be honest about what you can do, and pick roles that match.

Shifts, Overtime and Holiday Pay in a Food Plant

Food plants run around the clock in peak season, so it pays to know your rights under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act (ESA). The rules below come straight from the Ontario government’s ESA guide.

Overtime example: a mixer at $26.15/hr who works 48 hours in one week earns 44 x $26.15 = $1,150.60 plus 4 overtime hours at $39.225 (1.5 x $26.15) = $156.90, for $1,307.50 gross. Watch for averaging agreements: if you sign one, a 48-hour week followed by a 40-hour week may not trigger overtime at all.

Holiday pay example: a Concord production associate who earned $22.20 x 40 hours in each of the four weeks before Christmas week (and had no vacation pay payable in that period) gets public holiday pay of ($888 x 4) / 20 = $177.60. If they agree to work an 8-hour shift on Christmas Day and choose premium pay, they also get 8 x $33.30 = $266.40, for $444.00 for the day. In 2026, Christmas Day falls on a Friday and Boxing Day on a Saturday, so Monday to Friday workers should ask how their substitute day for Boxing Day will be scheduled.

Eligibility catch: you generally lose holiday pay if you miss your last scheduled shift before the holiday or your first one after it without reasonable cause, although you are still usually paid premium pay for hours you work on the holiday. If you work through a temporary help agency, the ESA rules for assignment employees say the agency cannot charge you fees, must give you written details of each assignment, and generally owes you public holiday pay. For a full breakdown, read our guide to seasonal worker rights in Ontario.

How to Apply Fast for Holiday Food Production Jobs

Peak season postings fill in days, not weeks. The fastest applicants do three things: they apply directly on employer careers pages the day a role appears, they make their availability obvious (nights, weekends, rotating shifts), and they show safety readiness (WHMIS, forklift competency, steel-toe boots). The step-by-step process below works for every role in this list.

If you want help getting placed quickly, Trimax Employment, the Mississauga staffing agency that publishes this guide, recruits for food production, packaging and warehouse roles across the GTA. You can register with us at trimaxemployment.ca. Registering with an agency is free for workers in Ontario, and the ESA bars agencies from stopping a client from hiring you directly.

Once you are hired, protect the opportunity: perfect attendance through December is the single biggest factor in being kept on after the holidays, and several postings above explicitly screen for attendance records. Seasonal food production can be a first step into a permanent plant career, with clear pay progressions and trade paths like millwright apprenticeships.

Talk to Trimax

Want a food production shift lined up before the holiday peak? Fill out the contact form to join the Trimax talent pool and get matched. Join the Trimax talent pool.

Frequently Asked Questions