Vale Inco plans to cut or move human resources, finance and procurement jobs out of Sudbury, says the company's director of communications.

Cory McPhee said it is too early to tell how many jobs will be affected.

"At this time, it looks like, at the end of the day , the total workforce would probably be reduced," McPhee said. "The process has just started and we can't presume to know how many people will choose to be relocated, how many people will choose to retire in the interim and how the final model will look definitively.

"Wherever possible, we are going to try and find roles for existing employees," McPhee said.

Human resources, finance and procurement (supply purchasing) services are conducted on "a very decentralized basis," McPhee said. Workers are in Sudbury, Thompson, Man., and St. John's, Nfld.

"What we are looking at is based on a model that is in place at our parent company," McPhee said.

Some jobs will move to Toronto and others to the company's offices in Rio de Janeiro. Some of the jobs would stay in Sudbury.

"By consolidating and applying standardization across our practices in delivering these services, we can recognize some efficiencies," McPhee said.

"We are really looking at improving how we del iver services," McPhee said. "As you are aware, all of us, not just the mining industry, are affected by the economic downturn.

"It's forcing us to look at our business and improve the way we do things."

The changes won't be finalized until the fall, he said. It will affect union and nonunion positions.