Amazon Seeking 2nd Headquarters: Canadian Cities Pitch Interest

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by dleung

Local office/distribution centre is different from HQ




that's cute

No subsidy will be big enough to offset the language issue. Only Toronto has a chance

That's basically calling francophones an "issue."

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by 240glt

It doesn't really matter to me, they sure as hell ain't moving it to Edmonton, just my observation in talking with a large number of folks who manage the Amazon accounts.

Please move already. I hope your employer and local management appreciate your disgust of the city and their assets.

[Vixx]

I agree with most that Toronto is the only reasonable Canadian option, but its a long shot.

Never considered the Midwest as a possibility but it would make some sense for Amazon: states like Michigan and Illinois will literally offer anything for them to setup shop in Chicago and Detroit. In all honesty, those cities could really use it.

[mistercorporate]

Interesting, a lot of the American articles I'm seeing have included Toronto when listing the top 5-10 likely candidate cities. We may well be prominently on the radar after all. Our biggest negative is real estate cost (same prices as Seattle apparently), but it's cheaper than Seattle once you convert currencies.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business...ons-second-hq/

Looking at their requirements, it screams Toronto (Mississauga/Vaughn to be precise), but watch it end up in some swamp in nowheresville, Texas:

https://qz.com/1071832/amazons-hq2-w...-headquarters/

[GreaterMontréal]

Americans want homes, not condos I think. you don't want an out of reach housing market to attract people

[softee]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Interesting, a lot of the American articles I'm seeing have included Toronto when listing the top 5-10 likely candidate cities. We may well be prominently on the radar after all. Our biggest negative is real estate cost (same prices as Seattle apparently), but it's cheaper than Seattle once you convert currencies.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business...ons-second-hq/

This list has Toronto at #1.
https://www.geekwire.com/2017/six-ci...-headquarters/

[Vixx]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Interesting, a lot of the American articles I'm seeing have included Toronto when listing the top 5-10 likely candidate cities. We may well be prominently on the radar after all. Our biggest negative is real estate cost (same prices as Seattle apparently), but it's cheaper than Seattle once you convert currencies.

http://www.seattletimes.com/business...ons-second-hq/

I think it has something to do with the fact that many recognize Toronto as being a major North American centre that can provide a good quality of life.

Relatively wealthy cities like Toronto, NYC, Boston, Dallas etc. will obviously try their hand in landing Amazon, but I think the fiercest bidding will take place between states and cities that really could use the spinoff effects that Amazon would likely create.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by Loco101

That's basically calling francophones an "issue."

From the point of view of doing business with Americans in their language, dleung is correct, we're not optimal. Why put our heads in the sand?

We've got our advantages (cheap clean energy, for example - great for attracting aluminum companies, etc.) but for someone who can set up operations anywhere and who likely values HQ2 workforce integration with its unilingual American workforce, language is a drawback for Quebec. Now if doing business with Western Europe was important, then that bug would turn into a feature for us - we're the only place in North America where you can hope to have a workforce that can deal with both Paris and London.

[sgera]

Ottawa is bidding on it too....see below article...amazon has recently set up an r&d office here working on Alexa. This complement Apple's recent R&D office that opened up in the autonomous vehicles space as well as the success of Shopify and QNX (#1 in autonomous vehicles operating systems)....Ottawa is often over looked but is still mammoth tech hub and boasts the largest tech park in Canada within the Kanata North BIA. There has been more public ipo market cap $s created here in the last three years than all of the rest of Canada combined...shopify, halogen software and kinaxis...case in point.

http://www.obj.ca/article/invest-ott...anadas-capital

[jmt18325]

I kind if feel like this has Toronto's name on it. I could be wrong, but, eh, there's no consequence to me being wrong.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Please move already. I hope your employer and local management appreciate your disgust of the city and their assets.

Aww poor snowflake

Edmonton hasn't the faintest chance at this.

Peddle your righteous indignation elsewhere

[scryer]

IMO, this bidding war is a good problem to have.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Loco101

That's basically calling francophones an "issue."

For some corporations it absolutely is an issue.

[Wentworth]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

Someone on mtlurb pointed out there should at least be a direct flight between the chosen city and Seattle. Which eliminates every canadian city except TO and Vancouver, but we've already established that Vancouver doesn't make sense.

There are direct flights between Calgary and Seattle. (Horizon, Compass, Jazz.) That said, I have zero expectation that they would consider Calgary.

[Corndogger]

Originally Posted by SkahHigh

Someone on mtlurb pointed out there should at least be a direct flight between the chosen city and Seattle. Which eliminates every canadian city except TO and Vancouver, but we've already established that Vancouver doesn't make sense.

Calgary has a direct flights to Seattle and I wouldn't be surprised if Edmonton does as well. Depending on what it is Amazon is looking for, Calgary would have some great benefits and advantages over other cities in Canada.

[mistercorporate]

Apparently, crime stats are a factor in their decision making, we can kiss Detroit and Texas goodbye after all!

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

Apparently, crime stats are a factor in their decision making, we can kiss Detroit and Texas goodbye after all!

Looking better for Toronto all the time....

[mistercorporate]

The plot thickens...

Even the BBC is giving Toronto's bid prominent coverage, methinks we might have a fighting chance:

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-41192159

Kathleen Wynne and Justin Trudeau had better get ahead of the game and back John Tory on this, could be a big win for Canada Inc.!

[SkahHigh]

Originally Posted by Corndogger

Calgary has a direct flights to Seattle and I wouldn't be surprised if Edmonton does as well. Depending on what it is Amazon is looking for, Calgary would have some great benefits and advantages over other cities in Canada.

... everyone says that about their own city though. Really I think the only canadian city that stands a chance is Toronto, and it's a slim one.

Let's not kid ourselves. Imagine the political clusterf*ck if an American company moves it's second headquarters to Canada. Amazon is private but like others said, some politicians just won't let that happen.

[Pinion]

Amazon won't even do same day deliveries to the north shore of Vancouver because road infrastructure is so bad, I can't imagine them wanting to expand like that here.

But there are lots of Seattle/Vancouver HQ buddies so I don't think that's a valid problem.