Worried about porch pirates? Amazon now offers in-garage delivery across Canada
Amazon has just launched a new service in Canada where delivery drivers can drop packages off directly in garages for those who want to protect their parcels from being swiped by porch pirates.
"It's a service to make getting your packages easy, safe and secure, and in addition to the traditional door drop, we're able to gain access into your garage to deposit packages," said Ryan Flynn, Senior Business Development Manager with Amazon Key.
To receive deliveries this way, Canadian customers must be an Amazon Prime member and have a garage with a connected door opener. In-garage delivery is already available in the U.S.
Amazon announced it has partnered with Chamberlain Group, a company that makes garage door openers with myQ smart technology (the kind of technology needed to sync up to the Amazon Key system).
"If your garage door on its own does not have myQ and the Wi-Fi- symbol, you can retrofit your garage door opener to become a smart garage with this simple device," said Kiel Fitzgerald, Senior Director and General Manager of my Partnerships.
While theft concerns are an issue, Amazon says garage delivery is also about protecting packages from the weather, like rain and snow.
Amazon said its drivers involved in the program are thoroughly vetted and added that they can only open the garage door once.
"We do background checks on all our delivery drivers and there is an additional multifactor authentication. They are also strictly instructed to only go five feet into the garage, and they wouldn't be able to go back in unless they have another package to deliver," said Flynn.
Homeowners may also have security systems which allow them to monitor the delivery in real time or check it later.
In-garage delivery is free of charge until the end of March 2025, after which customers will have to pay an added fee of $1.99 per delivery. Amazon said the fee is waived when members use Key Delivery – Pick Your Day, where members choose the day they want their order to be delivered.
Amazon said it believes many of its Prime members will sign up for the program, saying it's already delivered more than 60 million packages inside garages in the U.S. and worldwide.
Anyone who has had a package stolen right from their doorstep may be entitled to a refund, depending on the product and company.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.