A Metro grocery store in Ottawa's South Keys neighbourhood will be replaced by a Food Basics this fall, costing dozens of employees their jobs. Metro Inc. says the store, which closed Wednesday, is being converted to a Food Basics to better meet customer needs in the area. The Southgate Metro employed 72 people. "Employees who are interested in working at the new Food Basics store are invited to apply and will be considered through that process," the company wrote. Because Metro and Food Basics operate under different wage structures, if a former Metro Southgate employee is hired at the new store their seniority will be taken into consideration within the Food Basics pay band, the spokesperson said.