TORONTO, Ont. – Purolator will build what it calls a national “super hub” in Toronto as part of a five-year, $1-billion investment plan announced on Tuesday.

The $330-million, 430,000-sq-ft hub will be built on 60-acres, and will open in 2021, the freight and logistics solutions provider said.

“The facility will triple capacity and step-change Purolator’s network with world-class automation to help more customers get even more packages to their destinations quickly, safely and reliably,” Purolator said.

The hub will be built to leading environmental standards, following the Toronto Green Standards program, it said.

“Today’s announcement is one of the most ambitious in our company’s history and will future-proof our business,” said John Ferguson, president and CEO.

“Purolator has experienced record growth over the past three years. We picked up and delivered over one-quarter of a billion packages in 2018 and we expect our growth trajectory to continue.”

The investment plan also includes a fleet upgrade, an 110,000-sq-ft terminal in the Toronto suburb of North York, and the opening of more consumer access points across Canada.

“In 2019 and 2020, more than 1,000 new vehicles with advanced technology will be introduced across the country to improve delivery performance and safety,” the company said.

Purolator also said it will continue to advance sustainability throughout its operations, including maintaining its position as the express courier company with the largest green fleet in Canada.

It plans to roll out its first wave of fully electric vehicles in 2020 to complement its hybrid electric fleet.

The company said the investment decision follows a surge in e-commerce business in the past few years. E-commerce sales are expected to reach $4.88 trillion worldwide by 2021, it said.