Canadian Amazon sellers are faced with a new challenge: shipping to a recently opened Amazon FBA center in Navan, ON (YOW1). A one-million square foot warehouse has been built in Ottawa’s southeast suburb, Navan, and, as what usually occurs with all new centers, Amazon immediately started to assign many shipments to YOW1 to fill up the new facility.

There are at least three factors that complicate the life of Amazon sellers using Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) services when they need to deliver goods to YOW1. First, YOW1 warehouse is located near Ottawa, at 5225 Boundary Rd, Navan, ON K4B 1P6. Though, Ottawa is the capital of Canada, it is relatively small urban area that doesn’t have any intermodal rail hubs. The closest container railway yard is in Montreal, QC which is some 175 km away, and, therefore, delivery to YOW1 requires more expensive long-haul trucking.

Second, with most imported goods arriving from China and other Asian countries through Canada’s West Coast ports, such as the Port of Vancouver and the Prince Rupert Port, shipping to eastern Navan requires expensive railway freight and increases transit time by 7 to 10 days.

Finally, many Montreal trucking companies are not familiar with Amazon FBA delivery requirements, such as, appointment bookings through Amazon Carrier Central, 24/7 operations, strict pallet requirements, etc. The first Montreal Amazon FBA fulfillment center (YUL1) is only expected to open in Lachine, QC by the 2020 holiday season.

SC Integrators, a Canadian freight forwarder and licenced customs broker, provides less-than-container (LCL) and full container (FCL) ocean shipping from overseas vendors to all Canadian FBA centers including the newly opened one in Navan, ON.