Amazon announced it will exit Quebec, Canada, closing all warehouses and facilities in the region, resulting in the loss of nearly 2,000 jobs.
In an emailed media statement on Jan. 22, Amazon spokesperson Barbara Agrait said the decision to shut down delivery operations in Quebec comes after a recent review of the province’s operations. The company explained that it will be shifting to a third-party delivery model.
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“We’ve seen that returning to a third-party delivery model supported by local small businesses, similar to what we had until 2020, will allow us to provide the same great service and even more savings to our customers over the long run,” Agrait said.
This delivery model means products will be sourced and packaged at other Amazon facilities in Canada before being shipped to a third-party for delivery to customers in Quebec.
Canadian Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne responded to Amazon’s decision, saying he spoke with the head of Amazon’s Canadian unit to relay his “dismay and frustration” about the company’s choice in a post on X.
The emailed statement also said that the decision was driven by “cost-saving measures,” not the recent unionization of approximately 200 employees at a Laval, Quebec warehouse, which is among the facilities being closed.
What’s Next
According to Agrait’s statement, seasonal workers will be paid through the end of their contracts, while permanent staff will receive 14 weeks of pay, along with additional benefits, once the facilities close.
The closures of all facilities will occur over the next two months.
Amazon also provided the scheduled layoff dates, which are as follows:
- Laval (DXT4): 287 employees, Feb. 8.
- Saint-Hubert (HYU1): 38 employees, Feb. 8.
- Lachine (DXT6): 319 employees, Feb. 8.
- Laval (DXT5): 268 employees, Feb. 8.
- Saint-Hubert (YUL5): 371 employees, Feb. 15.
- Lachine (YUL2): 358 employees, March 15.
- Coteau-du-Lac (YUL9): 356 employees, March 22.
One Closing Location Recently Unionized
In Laval, employees at the DXT4 center unionized in April 2024, citing concerns over a fast-paced work environment, low wages and insufficient health and safety measures. It became the first Amazon facility in Canada to receive union certification.
According to a Jan. 22 news release, the Confederation des Syndicats Nationaux (Central Labour Union) — a labor federation in Quebec representing over 2,000 unions — condemned Amazon’s closure move as “outrageous” and “a slap in the face” to workers, arguing it undermines negotiations for Amazon’s first collective agreement in Canada, which began last July.
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President of the Central Labour Union Caroline Senneville said she would challenge the decision.
“There is no doubt that the closures announced today are part of an anti-union campaign against the CSN and Amazon employees,” Senneville said in a statement to Barron’s news.
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