Amazon is cutting ties with Quebec — Here’s what we know so far

Amazon has announced that it will be shutting down its operations in Quebec, resulting in the loss of over 1,700 jobs.

According to a CBC report from Wednesday, January 22, the online retail giant intends to close all seven of its warehouses across the province. This will include one fulfillment centre, two sorting centres, three delivery stations, and one AMXL delivery station located alongside a sorting centre.

This news comes less than a year after the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) filed an application with the Administrative Labour Tribunal (ALT) to represent 200 employees at Amazon’s DXT4 warehouse in Laval. That move made it the first Amazon fulfillment centre in Quebec to unionize.

“This decision makes no sense,” said CSN President Caroline Senneville in a release shared with Narcity on Wedneday.

“From a business perspective or an operational one. Amazon, one of the most vertically integrated companies when it comes to click-to-doorstep delivery, is handing over all its warehousing and distribution operations in Quebec to third parties? It’s beyond absurd. This completely contradicts Amazon’s own model.”

An Amazon spokesperson later told CBC that the closures were part of a cost-saving strategy and not related to the recent unionization efforts at the Laval facility.

After the news broke, one journalist tried to ask Quebec Premier François Legault about the closures. Legault ultimately dodged the question and shared a comment about the Montreal Canadiens’ Tuesday night victory instead.

So, what does all of this mean for Amazon customers in Quebec?

In an email shared with CBC, Amazon confirmed it will return to outsourcing deliveries to smaller contractors once its operations wind down over the next two months. Before 2020, the online marketplace was using a third-party delivery model.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

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