How to choose a 3PL in Canada

1. Start with where your customers are

About 60% of Canadians live in Ontario and Quebec, and the GTA sits at the centre of that corridor. A warehouse near Toronto reaches most of the population in one to three business days by ground, which is usually the cheapest way to offer fast delivery. If most of your customers are in Western Canada, ask how a 3PL handles BC and Alberta transit times and whether a second location makes sense later.

2. Check carrier choice, not just carrier logos

Canada Post reaches every address, but Purolator, UPS, FedEx, Canpar, Loomis, GLS Canada and last-mile couriers like Intelcom | Dragonfly and UniUni can be cheaper or faster for certain zones and package sizes. Ask whether the 3PL rate-shops each order across carriers, and whether it has a plan for disruptions such as postal labour action.

3. Confirm your sales channels are supported

List every place you sell: Shopify, Amazon, Walmart.ca, Etsy, eBay, Temu, Whatnot, Poshmark, Faire. Ask how orders get from each one to the warehouse and how tracking gets back. Multi-channel inventory sync is what stops you overselling.

4. Understand every line of the pricing

Most 3PL pricing breaks down into receiving, storage, pick and pack, packaging and shipping. Ask for a quote based on your real order profile — average units per order, box sizes and monthly volume — and ask what is billed for returns, kitting, special projects and account management.

5. Plan for cross-border from day one

If you sell to US customers, ask how the 3PL prepares commercial invoices, collects HS codes and country-of-origin data, and whether it offers DDP (duties paid) and DDU options. US rules on low-value imports changed in 2025, so cross-border shipments now need more data than they used to.

6. Ask how onboarding works

A good 3PL will connect your channels, document your packing rules, receive your first shipment and run test orders before going live. Ask who your day-to-day contact is and how issues are reported.