Named after the country’s first Black letter carrier, Canada Post’s newly opened Albert Jackson Processing Plant in Scarborough, Ont., is the largest of its kind in the country and is being dubbed Canada’s new e-commerce hub.
The postal agency says it is the fastest parcel processing plant in its network, which means customers will see a big improvement in service.
“When a parcel arrives in a consolidated fashion on a truck, it goes through the facility, gets processed and goes out the other end on a truck going to its final destination in four minutes,” explained Canada Post Chief Executive Officer Doug Ettinger at an inauguration event for the plant on Thursday.
“Thanks to the Albert Jackson plant … on-time delivery is getting to record levels in Ontario … in the end this will turn around parcel delivery quicker.”
The facility has been running since March and has been working to ramp up processing volume. When it’s running at full capacity, it will be able to process 60,000 parcels an hour.
The plant, which is the size of 20 Canadian football fields and sorts parcels to 300 facilities across the country, is also carbon neutral.
“So whatever emissions we generate we offset those with real sustainable energy … we have solar panels on the roof we have electric charging stations,” said Ettinger.
In addition, the building has an efficient HVAC system and lighting is sensor-controlled based on daylight and people in the building.
The facility is also the largest industrial project in the country that has been given the Zero Carbon Building designation.
Albert Jackson Processing Plant by the numbers
- Employees: 900
- Cost to build: $470 million
- Size: 585,000 square feet with eight kilometres of conveyors
- Capacity: 60,000 parcels processed every hour, one million parcels every day
- Canada Post facilities serviced: 300
- Dock doors: 150 dock doors
- Parking spots: 200 for trailers, 100 for 10-ton trucks
- Electric vehicle charging stations: 10
- Rest pods: 6
Ettinger said employee wellness was made a priority when designing the building.
Large skylights let in natural light and workers have access to six fully enclosed rest pods on the plant floor. The facility also has a multi-faith room and a wellness fitness centre. The city councillor for Scarborough North said the plant is a huge boon for the whole area and beyond.
“It means that there are good union jobs right here in Scarborough, those people are going to be raising their families … this is jobs for people in communities such as Malvern, Morningside Heights, Agincourt even Markham. There’s no barrier to coming across Steeles Avenue and getting a good job here,” said Jamaal Myers.
“And it’s not just the 900 employees, it’s what are they going to need in terms of local business support, where are they going to be spending their money.”
Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos echoed those sentiments, calling the plant a generational investment that is future-ready.
“By opening this facility we are not only strengthening Canada’s Postal Service, we are helping communities businesses and loved ones to connect,” he said.
“[These jobs will] serve our people long-term,” said MP for Scarborough-Rouge Park Gary Anandasangaree.
“It’s an addition to the Rouge National Urban Park as well as the Scarborough subway extension … and from a federal government perspective this is an unprecedented level of investment in our region.”
Several descendants of Albert Jackson — a pioneering figure who stood up to racism and discrimination to secure his position at Canada Post — were in attendance at Thursday’s event.
They said they were proud that his legacy is being marked in a substantial and meaningful way.
“Our entire family takes note of Canada Post’s eagerness and dedication to recognizing and embracing diversity and inclusivity in the workplace,” said Rochelle McDowell, one of Albert Jackson’s great-grandchildren.
“Thank you for recognizing Albert Calvin Jackson, thank you for making the Jacksons part of History, a part of your history and part of Canadian history,” said her brother Clifford Jackson.
“The person I’d like to thank the most is my great grandpa Albert Jackson because he took his strength and his stamina and so much heart during times of persecution and conflict, he broke down many many barriers for all of us Black and brown people,” added great grandchild Shawne Jackson Troiano.
