Thirty-five years ago, Canadian consumers and businesses wanting to ship quickly and around the world had few options. That was until the original express logistics disruptor—FedEx—expanded into Canada, its first international market. Instantly, Canadians had the world at their doorsteps. Fast-forward to today, FedEx Express Canada, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp (NYSE: FDX), is a critical component of the world’s largest express transportation network, relied upon to connect the Canadian economy to over 220 countries and territories. FedEx has shipped millions of parcels across Canadian skies and roads with speed, reliability, and integrity, including some of the most memorable deliveries in Canadian logistics history.
in 1987, FedEx purchased its Canadian licensee, Cansica Inc., and established FedEx Express Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario. Two years later, another FedEx-first milestone was achieved when full domestic service was launched across the country. From its origins as a team of just under 400 employees located across Canada, FedEx Express Canada today employs nearly 14,000 team members. Its operations are based out of 70 locations, supported by a domestic air fleet of 32 aircraft, and ground fleet of roughly 5,000 vehicles—including a large e-bike fleet
“For 35 years, FedEx has played a critical role in helping to move the Canadian economy with drive and purpose,” said Lisa Lisson, president of FedEx Express Canada. “In doing so, we have built one of the country’s most respected companies and remain one of the most trusted employers in Canada. Our investments in Canada and Canadians are reflective of our belief in our country and our people’s potential.”
With the pandemic-inducing surge in e-commerce, most Canadians associate FedEx Express Canada with the shipment and delivery of everyday goods. Behind-the-scenes, the company has played a critical role in many key Canadian events and milestones including:
- COVID-19 Response. FedEx Express Canada (along with Innomar Strategies, Canada’s leading specialty pharmaceutical services provider) was selected by the Government of Canada to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to each province and territory, as well as many Canadian missions abroad. The first shipment of the Moderna vaccine arrived in Canada aboard a FedEx B777 on Christmas Eve, 2020. By the end of July, 2022, over 52 million doses of vaccines had been distributed from coast-to-coast and to 36 international destinations, with similar deliveries continuing to this day.
- Supreme Court of Canada Challenge. In the well-publicized 2018 case of R. v. Comeau, involving the transportation of alcohol from one Canadian province to another, FedEx Express Canada was the only transportation company granted “intervener status.” This allowed FedEx Express Canada’s legal counsel the right to stand before the Supreme Court of Canada and argue to the court an interpretation of Canadian constitutional law that favours a view of intra-provincial trade. As a staunch supporter of the removal of intra-provincial trade barriers, FedEx Express Canada has supported many Canadian wineries in their advocacy to ship wine directly to consumers in other provinces. The company’s advocacy, in part, inspired many provinces to adopt legislation that allowed the intra-provincial shipment within Canada.
- Historic Panda Moves. When Canada was chosen to host giant pandas from China, FedEx Express Canada donated two charter flights to accommodate their arrival. Cited by many employees as among their most memorable and rewarding shipments, the first took place in 2013 with the arrival of Da Mao and Er Shun from Chengdu, China and the second in 2018, when Da Mao and Er Shun, along with their two cubs, travelled from Toronto to the Calgary Zoo. Throughout their five-year stay, FedEx also made weekly deliveries of bamboo to the zoos from various locations in the United States and Asia.
- Creation of a Retail Alliance with Canadian Businesses. The rise of e-commerce created a demand among Canada’s transportation and logistics industry for expanded brick-and-mortar solutions for consumers needing convenient drop-off and pick-up services. Rather than compete with Canadian businesses, FedEx entered in strategic alliances with some of Canada’s well-known retail brands, such as Home Hardware, Staples, Super C, Metro, Kent, and Penguin Pickup. Further, of the approximate 1,200 fully-staffed FedEx Authorized Ship Centres in Canada, over 800 of them are small businesses.
Looking towards the future, FedEx Express Canada remains committed to connecting Canada to the rest of the world more efficiently and responsibly. For example, Toronto was selected as one of the first markets within the FedEx Express global network to pilot environmentally friendly e-bikes for last mile deliveries in an urban area. Over the last two years, the pilot has expanded into a cross-Canada e-bike fleet, helping to bring FedEx closer to its global goal of achieving carbon neutral operations by 2040. Since its roll-out in July 2020, the Canadian e-bike fleet has travelled more than 32,000 emissions-free kilometers, averting over 9 tonnes of CO₂.[1]
Giving back to the communities it serves is also a core pillar of FedEx Express Canada. In the company’s last fiscal year alone, FedEx Express Canada reached $1 million in donations to Tree Canada; offered its support to Ecotrust Canada—an organization that works to build economies for social and environmental well-being with a focus on assisting rural, remote, and Indigenous; and renewed its Plane Pull for Sight campaign in support of Orbis International, an organization whose mission it is to provide long-term, sustainable eye care solutions in low- and middle-income countries. Further, FedEx has been at the forefront of humanitarian support, leveraging its network to assist with disaster relief efforts in Canada and around the world.
The true success behind the company’s growth and importance in Canada can be attributed to its people. Lisa Lisson, who started her career as a marketing associate, became the first woman and first Canadian president in FedEx Express Canada history. Among the thousands of team members throughout the company’s 35-year history are key global FedEx executives who once called Canada home, including Raj Subramaniam, President and CEO of FedEx Corp., who served as president of FedEx Express Canada from 2003 to 2006, and Brie Carere, the Chief Customer Officer for FedEx Corp., as well as the co-President and co-CEO of FedEx Services. Carere first began her career with FedEx as a marketing associate with FedEx Express Canada.
“It has been an exhilarating 35 years for FedEx in Canada and serving this country has been a true honour for everyone who has donned or supported those in our purple and orange uniforms.” said Lisson. “FedEx will continue to support Canada’s economic growth by bringing to life innovations and investments that will allow us to set the bar high now and for what’s next in our industry. Our best as a company and as a country is still yet to come.”
Check out a video commemorating the 35 years FedEx has been servicing Canada at: https://youtu.be/Dso2G2sAo10