Amazon Just Opened Its First Disaster Relief Hub in Canada. It’s Built for Wildfires.

Amazon has opened its first Disaster Relief hub in Canada, setting aside part of an existing fulfilment centre in Edmonton to help communities before, during, and after major disasters. The hub is already running, with a full grand opening set for October, when the facility hits capacity with more than 180,000 emergency supplies on hand.

The Edmonton hub is built around wildfire response, keeping the supplies that nonprofits and first responders reach for most. That means air purifiers, N95 masks, heavy-duty boots and gloves, respirators, helmets, goggles, and sifters. It will also carry general disaster relief gear for floods and tornadoes, including cleaning equipment along with diapers, wipes, and strollers to help displaced families.

“Amazon uses its global scale and strengths to make a positive impact in communities, and this hub is a powerful example of that,” said Eva Lorenz, vice president and country manager of Amazon Canada, in a statement on Tuesday. “By dedicating a portion of an existing facility where we deliver for customers every day, we can also serve communities when disaster strikes, responding in hours, not days.”

The timing lines up with a rough stretch for Canadian wildfires. The last three fire seasons have ranked among the 10 worst on record, and 2023 was the most destructive ever, with fires burning through 16.5 million hectares, roughly seven times the historical average.

To move supplies fast, Amazon plans to work with groups like the Canadian Red Cross and Team Rubicon Canada, delivering donated items within hours of a disaster.

The Edmonton location is Amazon’s second wildfire-focused hub worldwide, following California’s in 2024. Amazon now runs 12 Disaster Relief hubs across seven countries and says it has donated and delivered more than 30 million relief items across over 200 disasters since 2017.