Lactalis Canada to build distribution centre in Oshawa, Ont.

Toronto – Lactalis Canada announced it will enter into a long-term lease for a new distribution centre located in Oshawa, Ont., principally for its cheese and table spreads supply chain network.

Set to open in late 2024, the agreement was facilitated by CBRE Limited and the distribution centre will be developed, built, and leased by Broccolini with construction beginning immediately. The facility was designed by GKC Architecture and Design.

The 379,000-square-foot centre will consolidate multiple shipping locations used to service the cheese and table spreads category – including the internally operated Belleville, Ont., distribution centre – into a central, modern facility.

“This bold step exemplifies Lactalis Canada’s growth ambitions in Canada as a dairy leader and more importantly, reinforces our continued commitment and investment in the country and communities in which we operate,” said Mark Taylor, president and CEO, Lactalis Canada.

The facility will create approximately 80 jobs in Oshawa and the surrounding region and will join Lactalis Canada’s workforce of more than 4,200 employees across 30 operating sites in Canada.

Among other features, the building will be zero-carbon ready with the potential to be Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) certified and heat generated from the refrigeration system will be fully reclaimed and used to heat the facility’s offices and the truck apron to melt snow for safety reasons and solar panels on the roof in a future phase will provide renewable power to partially or completely offset reliance on the power grid under certain conditions.