Hamilton’s Amazon warehouse set to open in ‘early 2022,’ at least four months behind schedule
Is Hamilton's 855,000-square-foot Amazon warehouse open for business?
One employee thought it would be by his Nov. 21 start date at the fulfilment centre.
Three days before his start date, he received an email from Amazon informing him the building launch has been delayed," but he would be paid from Nov. 21 until his new start date three to four weeks later.
The employee, who The Spectator isn't naming due to his fears of losing his job, still hasn't received that pay - though has been told it's coming.
He reached out to Amazon both via phone and email to resolve the issue, but said he was passed off to multiple people over the course of a few days until finally getting answers.
It's very frustrating," he said
A Nov. 22 email he received from Amazon said the site won't open its doors until late January to early February 2022" due to construction factors outside of (their) control."
Panattoni Development Company, the developer of the warehouse, previously told The Spectator construction for the warehouse was expected to be completed in August of this year, with the rest of the development occurring in stages.
As with any new business launch, there are unforeseen delays that sometimes impact opening dates as is the case with (the Hamilton centre)," said Amazon spokesperson Dave Bauer in a statement.
Bauer said the facility should be open in early 2022, and despite the temporary delay," all full-time employees are receiving pay and will continue to throughout the holiday season.
We will continue to communicate directly with our employees regularly to address their concerns and provide updates as additional decisions are made," Bauer added.
In September, The Spectator reached out to both Amazon and the City of Hamilton for an update on the status of the warehouse to no avail.
From the outside, the new Amazon fulfilment centre on Upper James Street and Dickenson Road West looked mostly complete, with cars in the parking lot and a sign that said they're hiring hanging on the front of the building.
Job postings for the Hamilton centre on Indeed's job board varied, including general warehouse workers, human resources, operations managers and on-site medical representatives.
Amazon now says several hundred employees have been offered positions to date, and they're hiring for a variety of front-line roles.
At the facility, strict COVID-19 protocols" are in place, including mandatory masks, screening, social distancing and sanitation, and all current and prospective employees can receive a $100 bonus with proof of vaccination.
The warehouse is one of the largest local investments in terms of square footage in Hamilton's history, and more than 1,500 people are expected to work at the facility.
We look forward to continuing to create great jobs and being a valued community partner in Hamilton for years to come," Bauer said.
Alessia Passafiume is a reporter at The Spectator. apassafiume@thespec.com