The Victoria Airport Authority has finalized and approved plans for a proposal to build a state-of-the-art, 115,000-square-foot delivery station at the Victoria International Airport with Amazon as the tenant.
Activity on the site, which will be located on 7.8 acres of industrial zoned land, is expected to begin in September in order to prepare for the start of construction of the new facility.
The delivery station is expected to be completed and operational by the fall of 2022.
According to the Victoria Airport Authority, this facility will be a “last-mile” delivery station. Packages will be transported to the centre via trailer trucks from Amazon fulfillment and sortation centres. They will then be sorted, packed and loaded into delivery vechiles and shipped to local communities.
“We are pleased to welcome Amazon to Victoria International Airport and the peninsula,” said Victoria Airport Authority President and CEO, Geoff Dickson. “We would like to thank York Realty and Amazon for the vision they have shown in choosing this location with a goal to meet the growing demands of the region.”
While the tenant has been unknown up until this point, plans for the new facility were presented to the Town of Sidney for review and comment back in April of this year and consultation opportunities were also extended to the general public and to the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council.
Following consultations with the public, concerns about the building height and size were addressed by the developer — York Realty — resulting in significant reductions to both the building height and mass.
The biggest modifications to the distribution centre proposal came in regards to the height of the facility.
The new design reduces the building height to 11 metres along the east side facing Galaran Road, which is a 50 per cent reduction.
It also changed the total height of the building from 23 metres to 20 metres. The redesign represents a reduction of the building mass by 26 per cent.
Some residents in the area have issued their concerns in regards to traffic congestion.
“I mean I’m not really looking forward to it, to be honest,” said Emily Vanschaik, who lives near the Amazon development. “It’s a big building that’s going in there, it’s going to increase traffic a huge amount.”
She’s not alone. A Facebook page was launched in opposition of the development and has nearly one hundred members.
Considering traffic, the VAA says that the facility will commit to traffic flow being managed and designed to be “off-peak” (9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.).
Part of the development process for the new facility will also include the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Galaran Road and Beacon Avenue.
VAA says additional improvements also being reviewed include modifications to the Highway 17 and Beacon Avenue intersection and potential realignment of Stirling Way.
“We are pleased to welcome Amazon to Victoria International Airport and the peninsula,” said Victoria Airport Authority President and CEO, Geoff Dickson. “We would like to thank York Realty and Amazon for the vision they have shown in choosing this location with a goal to meet the growing demands of the region.”
Although plans have been approved at this time, VAA says it is committed to ongoing dialogue with the Town of Sidney, W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council and local residents throughout the project.
“It is our hope that, with Amazon as a sub-tenant, the new delivery station will serve as a significant economic generator for the region,” said Matt Woolsey, President, York Realty.
“More importantly, we plan on creating a building that is a first-of-its-kind in Canada, while providing landscaping improvements and amenities for the neighbourhood. Our goal, together with Amazon, is to continue listening to neighbours, the W̱SÁNEĆ Leadership Council and the Town of Sidney as we build out this project and Amazon begins operations.”
Amazon adds that the new facility will allow for faster, more efficient delivery for customers on Vancouver Island and across British Columbia, while also providing local job opportunities.
Amazon told CHEK News via email that the delivery station will create “more than 125 new jobs.”
According to the VAA, the $65 million “state-of-the-art” building will bring in around $900,000 in annual property tax revenue for the community and the region.
Although the project didn’t require Sidney council approval, Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith offered his endorsement.
“This will be a significant construction project in the region, with major investment and employment during construction, and significant long-term employment and economic spin-offs,” said McNeil Smith via press release.
VAA confirmed with CHEK News today that other development proposals are currently under review and another announcement could be made within the next few months. The developments could include an industrial warehouse and/or a retail shopping centre, according to the VAA.
More information on the Amazon project can be found at https://www.victoriaairport.com/york-development.
Graham Cox
