Shell is converting its Montreal refinery into a storage centre for gasoline, diesel and aviation fuels. (Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

Shell Canada is still negotiating the potential sale of its Montreal refinery despite having announced last week the facility would be converted into a storage centre, the CBC's French-language service reported on Monday.

Last Friday, the company announced it failed to attract a buyer and would proceed with plans to convert the refinery into a storage centre for gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.

The move, which was expected to put up to 450 employees out of work, was criticized by union leaders and local politicians.

The chamber of commerce for the east end of Montreal had planned to hold a meeting of local business leaders to discuss the closure on Tuesday.

The meeting was expected to include a presentation by one of two potential buyers who had come forward over the past few weeks. The buyer has been described as an "important Canadian industrial consortium."

It is the first time information has been released about the un-named group that "specializes in the acquisition and redevelopment of industrial assets and has extensive expertise in the conversion and development of existing industrial sites," said Radio-Canada.

But, the meeting was cancelled Monday, so as "not to jeopardize negotiations," said Ahmed Galipeau, of AGC Comm, a public relations firm representing the potential buyer in question.

Radio-Canada says other sources have confirmed that talks are once again underway between the potential buyers and former senator Michael Fortier, who is heading a special committee aimed at saving the refinery.

On Monday, the Quebec Federation of Labour, which represents unionized workers at the refinery, called on consumers to boycott Shell for 24 hours on Friday to protest the planned closure.

The federation, the province's biggest union, said all but 30 of the 500 workers at the plant will lose their jobs if the refinery is converted into a storage centre.

The union said the closure would also indirectly affect 3,500 jobs in industries dependent on the refinery.

Union local president Jean-Claude Rocheleau said it seems Shell is unwilling to listen to offers from potential buyers, something he said is unacceptable.

"I think they owe us something," said Rocheleau on Monday. "Our money helped build refineries in the west, and now, we won't let them tell us that they don't need us anymore, and they're going to let us go when there are people ready to buy us."

"Our hope and our objective is to maintain all these jobs in Montreal."

With filed from The Canadian Press