First Nation home to Amazon site

Amazon has announced plans to open a new Metro Vancouver shipping warehouse on Tsawwassen First Nation land in Delta, B.C.

Amazon spokesperson Lauren Lynch said Thursday that the 41,800-square-metre facility will create more than 700 full-time jobs and is expected to open in time for the Christmas holiday season next year.

The facility will be located within Delta iPort, a new industrial park developed by GWL Realty Advisors on behalf of the project’s owner Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan, said a news release from the First Nation.

Tsawwassen First Nation and the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan signed a 60-year lease agreement on the nine-hectare parcel in 2017, it said.

When deciding on a place, Amazon looks for a few things, in particular, a talented workforce and proximity to customers.

“We found that with Tsawwassen First Nation.”

This will be Amazon’s third so-called fulfillment centre in B.C., where employees will pick, pack and ship items such as books, toys, small electronics and home goods.

She said the centre will serve the rest of the country and all over the world depending on what item is selected.

Tsawwassen First Nation Chief Bryce Williams said in a news release that the warehouse is a promising advancement that will continue to unlock the potential of the nation as a key economic driver in Metro Vancouver.