Blockbuster begins liquidation sales; 63 Ontario stores close

TORONTO, On. – Blockbuster Canada starts liquidation sales at 146 locations today.

The video chain is closing over one-third of its stores over the next several weeks, as part of a reorganization that could result in a change to the Blockbuster name.

The court-appointed receiver for Blockbuster Canada is shutting down 146 of the 400 stores across the country. Six more locations were added to the list, Thursday.

Every province will lose at least one Blockbuster store. In Ontario, 63 stores will close.

An estimated 1,400 employees could lose their jobs.

Blockbuster Canada was placed into receivership by an Ontario court this month in the face of $70-million in claims from various movie distributors, including Hollywood studios, and other suppliers.

The Canadian operations had acted as a guarantor for Blockbuster’s U.S. business, which went into bankruptcy protection in September. It was later auctioned off to an American satellite dish company, Dish Network Corp.

Dish is now clashing with the Canadian division, saying it should no longer have the rights to use the Blockbuster name.

Stores have been operating under the Blockbuster name in Canada for 21 years.

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