Group of manufacturing employees will split $7 million prize
Includes video report
OTTAWA, Canada — In Canada, a group of employees at an Ottawa manufacturing plant say they won the $7 million Lotto 6/49 prize Wednesday, the same day their company announced massive layoffs.
Eighteen employees at SMART technologies — including 10 who got layoff notices on Wednesday — were part of the group of winners, according to Colin Willard, one of the ticket holders.
Willard, who worked at SMART for seven years, was balancing phones on each ear Thursday as news broke about the group's winning ticket.
He had only returned to work last week after a bad back kept him away for six months, and said the layoff notice shocked him.
It was Thursday morning in the company parking lot where he was the first to discover the win.
"I started to shake, vibrate in my seat, and then I had to get out and tell some of the people that were in, and no one believed me," said Willard.
Friend and co-worker Tony Mather joined him for a celebratory drink of scotch Thursday.
The men said they were excited, but realistic about the lottery earnings and where the money will go.
"We all know that $400,000 doesn't make you rich. That comfort zone for the rest of your life is the nice story," said the 50-year-old Mather.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation confirmed Thursday that the winning ticket in the previous night's lottery was shared by a group of people from Ottawa.
A spokesperson with the lottery corporation said the winners will have to go through a verification process when they come to claim the ticket.
Willard said the group will travel to Toronto Friday to confirm their win.
SMART technologies said Wednesday it was laying off 200 employees at the assembly plant on Palladium Drive. The assembly plant employs about 300 people.
The company, which has its headquarters in Calgary, said it was shifting its manufacturing to Mexico.
Congratulations!
400 Gs would definately put me in the-zone!
Two hundred people laid off at that plant?
The lawyers will be swarming for the claims of the other employees who were "supposed to be included" in that group.
Congatulations to the winners, but I feel bad for the rest of the people who will be jobless. I've been there. It is NOT fun.
Once again, bigger share holder profits in the form of cheap foreign labor, take precedence over the welfare of the working people.
Joyful experience for 18 people (and those closest to them) in Canada!
Great news.
The 18 lucky winners have already picked up their checks, and surprisingly, no one else from the plant said that they were entitled to a share.
Very AWSOME guys Congratulations to u 18 lucky winners!!!Like i always say u got to b in it to win it!!!
Congrats to all the winners, my prayers for the rest of the people laid off, I hope they get back on their feet soon.
Congrats to all the winners!!!!! my heart & prayers go out to the rest of the employees that were laid off. My husband loss his job of 12 1/2 years on December 22, 2006 to plant closure, ironically that plant moved to Mexico as well.......
It could not come at a better time. Congratulations to them!
well if you know how to invest that 400k then hell yeh it will make you richer.
guess they pick the right person to laid off due something big was coming their way.
im happy they won . god bless .
congrats to the 18 people who won!! my heart and praers go out to the people getting laid-off. as far as this company taking it bussiness to Mexico for less costly larbor......I love this quote from Project Runway " today you are in tommorrow you're out'" so the best thing here woulld be found this company competitor if it work is still done in USA buy from them!!!
Yea, another episode of some quick responding "lottery fairies" coming to the rescue of a bunch of adults being laid off ... pushed into that 'sea of long-term despair!'
Bliss!
Looks like we may see Americans sneaking over the Mexican border to get jobs if this keeps up.
Wonder how Mexico would like that?
They'd probably finish the fence themselves.
Great. They were saved by the bell . Good for them.
Congrats to the eighteen lottery winners.Now I'm waiting for the words "I was in it too!".
I'd bet a big ol' pile o' corn bread and chicken on that.
Dadgum straight.
steamy hot corn bread with warm honey, yum!
Totally awesome, congratulations to all of them!
What a heart warming story! Congratulations to 18 lucky people in Canada.
keep truckin
Wow. They are lucky after they got laid off.
In Canada since last year, Lottery tickets for a group can be split and printed in part at purchase time. So each player received a valid ticket and collect their own share, so if I buy 20$ tickets for a group of 10 people I will get 10 ticket on which you can read 2$ ( Represent 1/10 Parts from that Group) so if the group win 100$ , you go to any retailer and get your own 10$ share. No problem , no stealing, no need to claim together.
I like that idea. It probably cuts out the last minute "Hey I was supposed to get part of that!" nonsense from the jealous ones.
No tickee - no washee.
That's a great idea.