Purolator driving new investments in Ottawa led by a sustainability-minded new Kanata terminal
Sixty-five years in business has a way of sharpening a company’s sense of purpose. For Purolator, that milestone is a point of pride as Canada’s homegrown courier. Instead of being a time to pause and reflect, it has inspired a renewed push to modernize, expand, and invest in communities and infrastructure across the country. That push is visible across the country and particularly in Ottawa where Purolator has made significant recent investments.
Last October, the company opened its Kanata terminal and Retail Shipping Centre on Upper Canada Street. The facility was strategically located and purposefully built to serve one of the fastest-growing cities in Ontario and the expanding region around it that stretches across two provinces.
The new terminal was built with state-of-the-art technology, new material handling equipment and an advanced automated sortation system. These investments have significantly improved operational efficiency, including a 60 per cent increase in processing capacity (up to 93 per cent during the recent peak season), a 50 per cent reduction in new employee onboarding time, a reduction in damage claims and enhanced employee health and safety.
“We’re incredibly proud of our investments in Ottawa, and across the country. We’re committed to supporting Canadian businesses and strengthening Canada’s supply chain,” says Chris Spanjaard, SVP and Chief Operations Officer.
Boosting Ottawa’s Environmental Goals
Ottawa’s master plan for climate change makes the city a natural partner for Purolator, which for years has put in place the pieces to achieve its ambition of being Canada’s greenest courier.
The new Kanata terminal is one of Purolator’s most sustainable facilities, built with innovative design solutions at its core. Rooftop solar panels are expected to produce nearly 470,000 kWh annually while high-albedo concrete and a white roof reduce heat absorption and triple-pane glass improves insulation. It’s built with high-efficiency HVAC equipment and charging infrastructure for all-electric last-mile delivery vehicles.
Fleet electrification is a key element of Purolator’s net-zero sustainability strategy. Through strong industry partnerships the company is advancing electric transportation and today has more than 500 all-electric trucks in its fleet, powered by new charging infrastructure at 17 terminals across Canada.
Ottawa was an early adopter of Purolator’s fleet of all-electric cargo bikes and low-speed vehicles—the first of their kind to operate commercially in the city. Operating out of the Purolator Shipping Centre on Bank Street, these vehicles serve Centretown and Glebe. At the new Kanata terminal, another 40 all-electric trucks are part of a fleet that serves more than 80 routes every day.
Purolator’s expansion and investment in Canada’s capital comes as customer expectations continue to rise: faster delivery windows, more visibility, and greater care for sensitive shipments. The company is responding by investing across its network to strengthen the capabilities that matter most to businesses.
Now is the perfect time for Canada’s largest nationally integrated freight and courier network to establish an even stronger presence in the nation’s capital. Investments downtown and the new Kanata terminal represent part of its ongoing efforts to modernize operations and meet the evolving demands of a changing global economy—and the local one right here in Ottawa.
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