Since 2010, Amazon has invested over $25 billion in direct investments in Canadian businesses. This includes both capital and operational expenditures, which will have ripple effects throughout the economy by increasing the number of companies supplying Amazon with goods and services and associated household spending. Keystone Strategy estimates that Amazon’s investment added an additional $24 billion to Canada’s GDP between 2010 and 2021.
Amazon’s Canadian footprint includes over 65 different companies and logistics sites, and the company has expanded its operations by opening new fulfillment and sorting centers. In June 2022, Amazon celebrated the latest expansion of its Toronto tech hub, which now includes three of its nearly 500,000 square feet of permanent offices in the heart of downtown. Teams working in tech hubs such as Amazon Web Services, Alexa, Prime Video, and Amazon Music help create new features and services that customers around the world can enjoy.
Amazon is also a leading engine of job creation in Canada, with a local workforce of over 40,000 people. The company paid its Amazon employees in Canada over $2 billion in wages in 2021 alone. Amazon offers opportunities for people with a wide range of qualifications, from entry-level positions across logistics networks to early-stage professional jobs. All eligible full-time employees of the Full-Time Network have access to Amazon Career Choice, a program designed to help those interested in pursuing a future in a high-demand field upskill by contributing up to 95% of tuition fees.
Small businesses are the backbone of Canada’s economy, and Amazon invests in logistics, services, programs, tools, and features that enable small businesses to scale and connect with more customers, establish and build brands, and pursue their ambitions. In 2021, Canadian retail partners’ total sales in Amazon stores increased more than 20% year-over-year, and Canadian selling partners sold nearly 100 million products to Amazon customers.
Amazon is also committed to sustainability and has launched initiatives to reduce packaging waste and invest in renewable energy projects in Alberta. The company is working towards achieving net-zero carbon across its global business by 2040, ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement target.
Amazon pays taxes that fall into two different categories: directly incurred taxes and indirect taxes collected and remitted. In 2021, total taxes (direct and indirect taxes combined) were $2.1 billion, with total direct tax accrual at $431 million.
Amazon is committed to continuing to invest in Canada and contributing to the Canadian economy by serving its customers, creating jobs, fostering innovation, and developing new opportunities for Canadian companies.