Amazon to Close Quebec Warehouses, Shift to Third-Party Delivery

On January 22, 2025, reports from international media revealed that Amazon plans to close seven of its warehouses located in Quebec, Canada, within the next few weeks. This closure will affect approximately 1,700 full-time permanent jobs and 250 temporary positions.

The decision is part of a broader shift in Amazon's operational strategy, moving the delivery of online orders from its own infrastructure to third-party service providers, such as Intelcom Courrier Canada. This change mirrors the delivery model used prior to 2020 and is expected to maintain the same high level of service.

One of the affected warehouses is located in Laval, where around 300 employees have been engaged in collective bargaining with the national labor union since July 2024. Despite these ongoing negotiations, Amazon spokespersons have emphasized that the closure of the Quebec warehouses is unrelated to union activities.

An Amazon representative stated that after reviewing the operations in Quebec, the company determined that switching to a third-party delivery model supported by local small businesses would be the most effective approach. This change is designed to boost operational efficiency and improve flexibility while maintaining service quality.

In response to the layoffs, Amazon will offer severance packages of up to 14 weeks of pay and provide job placement assistance and other transition support to affected employees.

This decision reflects Amazon’s ongoing efforts to streamline operations and control costs, enhancing the overall customer experience by relying on third-party logistics providers to increase flexibility and service efficiency. Importantly, the closure of the Quebec warehouses will not impact operations at other Amazon facilities.

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