UPS is to invest more than C$500m (US$388m) in facility expansions and technological enhancements in Canada, creating more than 1,000 new jobs.
Construction has already begun at a US$97m, 180,000ft² (16,722m²) expansion to the company’s Montreal hub, which will be UPS’s first automated sorting facility in Canada.
Additional facility-based projects include expansions in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of the province of Ontario as well as in Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.
As the first market in the company’s international expansion in 1975, UPS’s Canadian operations have grown to include more than 12,000 employees, 1,100 UPS Access Point locations and 63 facilities.
UPS chairman and chief executive officer David Abney said, “UPS Canada is capitalizing on customer growth and solid operating leverage. Strong returns coupled with continued customer demand create an optimal time for this investment that we expect to even further contribute to Canada’s vibrant economy.”
In addition to optimizing the UPS Canada network through facility expansions and improvements, UPS will maintain its focus on meeting environmental sustainability goals through the use of alternative fuels and technology designed to reduce distance and fuel consumption.
UPS Canada has set the goal of having 50% of its fleet running on alternative fuels by the end of 2018. The company has also launched a fleet of compressed natural gas vehicles in British Columbia, a first for UPS in Canada.
Christoph Atz, president for UPS Canada, added, “UPS is committed to investing in the infrastructure, workforce and technology that will help Canadian businesses grow and enable Canadian consumers to acquire their goods efficiently and sustainably.”
March 27, 2018