Controversial Blair warehouse will be Amazon fulfillment centre
Amazon has confirmed it’s behind the controversial warehouse project being built in the Village of Blair.
Cambridge city council cleared the way for construction of the one-million-square-foot warehouse at a meeting earlier this year, despite fierce opposition from Blair residents.
On Tuesday, Amazon Canada announced the facility would be home to a new fulfilment centre, expected to open in 2025.
“We’re so proud to call Cambridge home and create great jobs,” Amazon Canada economic development manager Brooks Barnett said in a media release.
“Our new fulfillment centre will ship larger items, like patio furniture, outdoor equipment, and much more, which means people power is so important. Thank you to Mayor McGarry and local council for their collaboration and leadership in bringing Amazon to Cambridge.”
The company says the warehouse will create more than 1,000 jobs.
McGarry, Cambridge’s mayor, says the project is a great opportunity for the city, not just because of the Amazon jobs but also the construction jobs it will create.
“This is something that will benefit absolutely everyone in the community. It adds to the economic prosperity of our city in so many ways,” said McGarry. “But there’s so much more opportunity for even more jobs and prosperity for area companies.”
But a group of Blair residents have been granted a judicial review scheduled for February 2023.
"Yeah, it's a different perspective in Blair," said Alan Van Norman, co-chair of Blair Engaged.
They say this project is not a done deal. They have been fighting against the project for more than a year, citing concerns about the environment, along with traffic and noise.
“We haven’t gone away," said Van Norman. "We’re still in the game and will be pursuing our rights through the courts and we’ll see where it goes. Basically asking for a higher authority to review the city’s decision making.
"We are very optimistic about it. We think the City of Cambridge had blantant disregard for the Ontario Heritage Act."
Van Norman said this summer the group filed an application for a judicial review.
"It was accepted, as far as we know the court is scheduled to hear our case in February," said Van Norman.
McGarry said the new warehouse could help boost the region’s economic prosperity,
“It makes sense it’s right on the 401, it’s right near an exit onto the 401, it has been zoned industrial mostly many years, and I think this is a real jewel in our city to increase our economic prosperity,” said McGarry.
The Cambridge mayor adds that the developer has agreed to limit thenumber of trucks on the road, will plant more trees on site, and increase the height of the berm wall facing the community to decrease noise.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.