Air Canada opens new cold chain facility in Toronto
Air Canada announced the opening of a new cold chain handling facility at its cargo facility at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The $16 million initiative aimed to increase and improve Air Canada Cargo's cold chain handling capabilities for perishable items including medicines, fresh food, and other perishables.
"This is an exciting day for Air Canada Cargo as we take another step forward in our evolution. The enhanced temperature-controlled facility is the only one of its kind for a Canadian airline and positions Air Canada Cargo to continue successfully growing our business, including the launch of our dedicated freighter aircraft. This investment, and the others that are to follow, will allow us to better serve our customers and I am very excited for what the future holds for Air Canada Cargo," said Jason Berry, vice president, Air Canada Cargo.
The new facility will include approximately 30,000 square feet of temperature-controlled spaces and an additional cooler to fulfil the needs of cold chain shipments including medicines, fresh food, and other perishables. These improvements are the first of a multi-year investment plan for the facility, and they are part of Air Canada Cargo's planned infrastructure investment initiatives.
More unit load devices (ULD) and loose shipments with COL (+2°C to +8°C) and CRT (+15°C to +25°C) temperature requirements may be accommodated in the enlarged cooler, which also includes more racking and an updated dedicated space for active temperature control units.
The renovations included the installation of energy efficient equipment such as temperature controllers that will constantly monitor the conditions inside the facility and only regulate the temperature as needed, resulting in reduced energy consumption and contributing to Air Canada's long-term net zero emissions goal. Rapid roll-up doors have also been fitted to save energy loss while accessing the cooler to store or retrieve products. Throughout the property, LED lighting has been introduced to reduce energy use even more.
