Ottawa workers win lottery after some are laid off

OTTAWA, Canada — Disappointment turned into celebration and happiness after a group of manufacturing plant employees in Ottawa won $7 million in the lottery a day after their company announced layoffs, reported CBC News.

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The prize, from Lotto 6/49, was won Wednesday by a total of 18 employees, 10 of whom received layoff notices from SMART technologies, according to one of the winners, Colin Willard.

Willard worked at SMART for seven years before receiving the layoff notice Tuesday. He had only been back to work for a week after taking a six-month absence due to a bad back, according to CBC.

"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," Willard told CBC of discovering the win.

The group of winners will travel to Toronto Friday to confirm their win, Willard said.

"We all know that $400,000 doesn't make you rich," said winner Tony Mather, 50, in an interview with CBC. "That comfort zone for the rest of your life is the nice story."

SMART Technologies confirmed on Wednesday to CBC that it was laying off 200 of its 300 assembly plant employees in Ottawa. Manufacturing will move to Mexico.