Amazon Canada opens first Quebec warehouse in Lachine

Amazon's first fulfillment centre in Quebec officially celebrated its 'day one' earlier this month with its newest employees. (CNW Group/Amazon Canada)

MONTREAL — Amazon Canada's first warehouse in Quebec is open and ready to supply people with goods like small electronics, books, baby toys and household items.

The warehouse, located in Lachine, created 300 full-time jobs for Quebecers. Employees at the facility will pack and ship items to customers.

"This milestone will allow us to better serve our local customers, along with the thousands of local small businesses that work with Amazon to bring their products to customers across the province and around the world," Jean-Francois Héroux, the new location’s site leader, said in a statement.

The Lachine facility is the e-commerce giant’s 13th fulfillment centre in Canada, with others located in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.

Lachine Mayor Maja Vodanovic says the arrival of Amazon consolidates the area’s role in Montreal’s logistics chain.

"Located between the airport, the marshalling yards and the port of Montreal, and with an occupancy rate of almost 95 per cent, our industrial park is at the heart of Montreal's transportation network," Vodanovic said.

Though Amazon has been criticized for its treatment of employees, a company statement claims full-time employees receive "comprehensive pay ($16 and up)" and "industry-leading benefits, including medical, vision and dental coverage," among other things.

The company says it spent USD $800 million in the first half of 2020 to keep its employees safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing "more than 150 significant changes to support its teams."