Amazon makes it official with announcement it’s coming to Blair
Posted Sep 27, 2022 02:41:00 PM.
The controversial Blair warehouse being built at 140 Old Mill Rd. will officially be the new home of an Amazon fulfillment centre.
The tenant of the warehouse was kept under wraps for more than a year, throughout a lengthy review process that saw fierce opposition from Blair residents. The city was also asked not to disclose the tenant by the developer, Broccolini Real Estate Group.
But in an email to CambridgeToday, Dave Bauer, head of Amazon Canada workplace PR confirmed Tuesday that the property that's currently under construction will see a new one million-square-foot facility erected on the highly contested land.
“We’re so proud to call Cambridge home and create great jobs,” said Brooks Barnett, manager of economic development.
The new fulfillment centre, named YHM2, will create around 1,000 jobs and ship larger items locally, provincially and nationally.
With a scheduled opening in 2025, the new facility will package items and be the first point of delivery before they reach the consumer.
“Cambridge is a strategic location for Amazon, with access to great employees, infrastructure, and nearby world-class educational facilities,” added Barnett.
“We look forward to continuing to give back and play a valued role as a community member in Cambridge and the region.”
The facility has been opposed by residents close to the new Amazon warehouse.
For months, residents were battling the city and the Ontario Land Tribunal to refute an Minister's Zoning Order to protect the land and move the warehouse elsewhere.
Objections to the construction were considered by city council but the proposal was endorsed in March, a site plan approved in August and construction is currently underway.
A previous version of this story stated the size of the warehouse will be a “650,000 square foot fulfillment centre” based on information provided in a news release from Amazon.com, Inc. The company has since confirmed the correct square footage of the warehouse is one million square feet, as previously proposed and approved.
