Canada Is So, So Thirsty For Amazon's New Office

    Our Amazon boner is showing.

    Lauren Strapagiel
    by Lauren Strapagiel

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Amazon is looking for a second North American office and Canadian cities are falling over themselves to win over the online retail giant.

    John Macdougall / AFP / Getty Images

    Proposals are due Thursday for interested cities. Amazon said it's looking for a major metropolitan centre, with a nearby international airport, public transit, and enough space to build a space costing up to $5 billion US.

    It could also mean 50,000 jobs for whichever city they pick, a major point of attraction for the Canadian cities hoping to be selected.

    Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver, Montreal, and Edmonton have all expressed interest, according to The Canadian Press, and they're pulling out all the stops.

    One analysis marks Calgary as the best Canadian option, but Ontario did its own analysis and claims choosing Toronto would save Amazon $1.5 billion per year.

    Halifax, meanwhile, is among the smallest cities vying for the office and is apparently having a mild identity crisis along the way. Over in Edmonton, the prospect of an Amazon office was called, quote, a "tasty morsel" by Mayor Don Iveson.

    The City of Calgary is not beyond begging, running a full-page ad in the Seattle Times to entice Amazon into moving.

    Jon Talton @jontalton

    Calgary’s full-page ad in today’s Seattle Times

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    Meanwhile, Ottawa has lost all shame. At the Oct. 17 hockey game between the Senators and Canucks, the audience was prompted to "make noise for Amazon."

    Jyrki21 @Jyrki21

    We are currently cheering for Amazon to set up shop in Ottawa during a TV timeout. I’m not making this up. #Canucks… https://t.co/iHdQaio1Jl

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    Because clearly if they were too quiet, Calgary would get that shiny, shiny office. Ottawa officially entered its bid on Tuesday in partnership with Gatineau, Quebec.

    What's become clear is that a grand gesture may be the way to win Amazon over.

    John MacNab @jpmacnab

    How should Ottawa woo Amazon?

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    But with a whole continent trying to woo the company, Canada will face some stiff competition.

    Matt Harris @mattfharris

    Hey @JimWatsonOttawa would you re-name Ottawa to Amazon, Ontario? #TheMorningRush @billcarrolltalk @annettegoerner

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    Amazon will make its final decision on its new office location next year.