Amazon warehouse announcement coming Tuesday
Plan for massive distribution hub in east Ottawa previously confirmed by 2 MPs
Online retail giant Amazon's plans to construct a massive warehouse in east Ottawa will be formally announced Tuesday morning, CBC News has learned.
Mayor Jim Watson and Cumberland Coun. Stephen Blais are scheduled to respond to a "major economic announcement" at a media availability Tuesday morning.
The plan for a one-million-square-foot facility at 5371 Boundary Road, near Highway 417, was previously confirmed by Orléans MP Andrew Leslie in an interview with CBC News in May.
An application submitted to the city says the facility will require 99 truck bays and more than 1,000 parking spaces.
At the time, the MP for the adjacent riding of Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Francis Drouin, said the warehouse would be a boon for the entire region and perfectly situated, with nearby highways providing easy access to both Ottawa and Montreal.
Russell Mayor Pierre Leroux said the warehouse will provide jobs for young people in the area, though some residents are expressing concerns about traffic from employees and delivery vehicles.
"That's one of the main arteries to come into town," Leroux said.
Boundary Road will need improvements and that can hopefully be addressed in the site planning phase, he said.
"Amazon is not a small player by any means, so I'm sure they want to come into a community and make it as well-received as possible."
Amazon declined to confirm the plans.