Amazon hiring 600 seasonal workers in Ottawa

Signage at an Amazon fulfilment centre is pictured in Ottawa on Monday, July 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The ‘Help Wanted’ sign is hanging on the doors of Amazon’s sites in the Ottawa region, as the online retailer prepares for the Christmas holiday rush.

Amazon has announced plans to create nearly 600 seasonal jobs at the four Amazon sites in the Ottawa area as part of its Canada-wide plans to hire more than 7,000 employees for the holidays.

The hiring of workers in Ottawa will begin this month and continue in waves through December, according to Amazon. The seasonal roles across Amazon’s operations include stowing, picking, packing, sorting and shipping customer orders.

“At Amazon, we’re committed to creating a workplace where employees feel valued and have opportunities to grow,” Chuck Cummings, director of Customer Fulfilment with Amazon Canada, said in a statement.

“By creating thousands of new seasonal roles and investing in compensation and workplace benefits, we’re providing meaningful employment opportunities that can lead to long-term careers at Amazon. We’re proud to offer competitive pay, comprehensive benefits from day one, and a supportive environment where everyone can thrive.”

Information on the open seasonal roles will be posted at hiring.amazon.ca throughout the holiday season.

Pay raise for Amazon employees

Amazon says its seasonal hiring campaign comes as it invests more than $110 million towards pay increases for customer fulfilment and transportation employees.

According to Amazon, it has raised its average hourly base wage in Canada from $23.50 in 2024 to $24.50 as of Sept. 28.

“Additionally, through Amazon’s step plan compensation model, eligible hourly full- and part-time employees can count on planned pay increases every six months until their 24-month anniversary,” Amazon said in a media release.

“They receive another increase at month 36, creating a clear path for earnings growth based on tenure.”