Amazon is gearing up to open a giant distribution centre in Ottawa that will create about 1,000 new jobs, several news outlets are reporting.
Citing unnamed sources, CTV Ottawa first reported Thursday that the mammoth online retailer will be the new tenant of a one million-square foot warehouse to be located at 5371 Boundary Road, close to Hwy. 417. CBC News later reported the news, based on confirmation from Andrew Leslie, MP for Orléans.
READ MORE: New Amazon warehouse facility to open in southern Alberta
In a statement to Global News Friday afternoon, Amazon said it is “not yet commenting on any specific plans in Ottawa.”
“Amazon is constantly investigating new locations to support the growth and increase the flexibility of its North American network to address customers’ needs,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Global News has reached out to Broccolini and Leslie for comment. A spokesperson for Jan Harder, city councillor for Barrhaven and chair of the planning committee, said Harder has “nothing to report as of yet” on the matter.
Broccolini’s development manager James Beach told CTV that the company “definitely has a user in mind” for the warehouse facility.
READ MORE: Alexa recorded one family’s conversations and sent them to a friend, without them knowing
According to the site plan application Broccolini submitted to the city of Ottawa’s planning department, the warehouse will be a single-storey facility, equipped with 99 truck loading bays and just over 1,000 parking spaces. Construction on the structure itself has not yet begun.
Municipal lobby records show the manager of public policy at Amazon Canada Fulfillment Services met with both Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and the city’s general manager of planning, infrastructure and economic development on Jan. 11.
The distribution centre would be Amazon’s eighth in Canada. Its fulfillment facilities in Ontario are located in Brampton, Mississauga, and Milton. There are also two in Delta and New Westminster, B.C.
The retailer announced plans to open its seventh centre and create 750 jobs in Calgary in October. According to a news release at the time, Amazon said it employs, between its various facilities, more than 4,400 employees throughout the country.
READ MORE: Amazon expands in Vancouver, where tech workers make over $50K less than in Seattle: data
The commerce titan also announced earlier this month it is expanding its presence in Vancouver with a tech hub in the city’s downtown, where it expects to hire an addition 3,000 high-tech employees.
Amazon is currently evaluating where it would like to set up its second headquarters. Ottawa tossed its hat into the ring but was unsuccessful. The Greater Toronto Area is the last remaining Canadian finalist.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story cited Markham as the last remaining Canadian finalist on the shortlist of candidates for Amazon’s second headquarters. Markham is one of ten possible sites in the Greater Toronto Area that could be selected.
Comments