TORONTO, Ont. – Morneau Eskimo has announced it has acquired Toronto, Ont.-based Beacon Transit Lines, which is being renamed Beacon Transport.

The deal became effective Dec. 19. Morneau Eskimo is a division of Groupe Morneau.

“Beacon Transit Lines is a long-standing partner of Morneau Eskimo. Indeed, over the past 15 years, our two companies have collaborated extensively to offer food industry customers in the Greater Toronto Area a refrigerated transportation of their goods with the greatest respect for the cold chain. This transaction therefore represented a logical continuation of our operations,” said André Morneau, president of Groupe Morneau.

The acquisition expands Morneau Eskimo’s presence in the Toronto and Ontario markets, and will enhance its ability to serve the Toronto-Montreal corridor.

“We can now offer a complete and continuous service, mainly to food companies, by transporting their goods from Windsor, Ontario to Gaspé in the eastern tip of Quebec,” said David Morneau, director of development.

The acquisition brings Morneau Eskimo’s fleet from 80 trucks, to 140. Just last week the company announced the opening of a new terminal in Levis, Que.