Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that Amazon is expanding its Vancouver tech hub with a new headquarters.
This is expected to bring an additional 3,000 high tech jobs to the city in fields including e-commerce technology, cloud computing, and machine learning.
LISTEN: Amazon creating 3,000 new jobs in Vancouver
The new headquarters will be located at the old Canada Post headquarters, at 349 West Georgia Street where Monday’s announcement was made. It is expected to open in 2022.
This is in addition to Amazon’s current Vancouver offices – including its 156,000 square-foot location in TELUS Garden which opened to Amazon employees in 2015. On top of Monday’s announcement, Amazon also confirmed last November its plans to expand into another downtown site on Dunsmuir Street, which will open in 2020.
Trudeau comments on opportunities that come with Amazon
“There are many reasons why industry giants like Amazon choose to settle and grow in Canada,” said Trudeau at a press conference Monday. “Our workforce is highly educated, skilled and diverse. Folks across the country are ready to take on the jobs of tomorrow and help companies like yours shape the future, a future where innovation drives economic growth and helps improve the lives of middle class Canadians, and people working hard to join it.”
“I want to highlight Amazon’s commitment to recruiting top talent from our universities and give students the opportunity to have a direct impact on the evolution of their technologies at an early stage of their career.”
WATCH: Reporter Jennifer Palma has all the details from an announcement Monday morning about Amazon’s new headquarters in Vancouver.
WATCH: Amazon says the decision to expand to Vancouver is in part due to their prior success of hiring exceptional talent from Canadian universities.
“Amazon is excited to create 3,000 more highly skilled jobs in Vancouver,” said Alexandre Gagnon, vice-president of Amazon Canada and Mexico. “Vancouver is home to an incredibly talented and diverse workforce, and these thousands of new employees will invent on behalf of our customers worldwide.”
Amazon already employs more than 6,000 people in Canada. It employs more than 1,000 researchers and engineers in Vancouver.
“Our vibrant cities, which are home to some of the best talent in the world, are poised to attract premier investment that creates the jobs of tomorrow. Canadians share your passion for invention and your commitment to excellence – and that’s why we are excited to see Amazon grow here in Vancouver,” said Trudeau.
WATCH: Trudeau welcomes Amazon expansion, 3,000 new jobs to Vancouver
Reaction from BC government
In a statement Monday, B.C. Premier John Horgan and Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology said:
“This investment will advance B.C.’s well-earned reputation as an innovation hub, and will promote growth in all sectors of our economy, in all regions.
Candidates interested in applying for open roles at Amazon’s Vancouver Tech Hub can do so here.
PHOTOS: Artist renderings of the new Amazon headquarters in Vancouver. Courtesy of QuadReal Property Group:
WATCH: Trudeau to meet with head of Amazon
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