• Local facility helps move up to 100,000 medication units each night
• Supports more than 1,100 hospitals, clinics and pharmacies across Manitoba, Southern Saskatchewan, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut
• Winnipeg distribution centre also earned the company-wide recognition in 2021, 2022 and 2023

McKesson Canada has named its Winnipeg distribution centre the company’s Distribution Centre of the Year. The award recognizes the facility’s role in helping essential medications reach communities across Manitoba and some of Canada’s most remote regions.

The 125,000-square-foot facility opened in 2021 following a $65-million investment in Manitoba. This is the fourth time the Winnipeg distribution centre has earned the company-wide recognition since opening.

More than 100 employees work across the facility’s day and night operations, processing between 80,000 and 100,000 medication units each night. In 2025, the facility distributed more than 21 million medication units while maintaining more than 99 per cent accuracy.

Connecting Communities to the Medicines They Need

As Canada’s largest pharmaceutical distributor, McKesson Canada plays a critical role in helping patients across Manitoba and surrounding regions access the medications they need. The Winnipeg distribution centre is an important link in that healthcare supply chain, connecting urban, rural and remote communities with essential medicines.

The facility is equipped with 3,000 square feet of refrigerated storage capacity for temperature-sensitive medications and carries more than 15,000 pharmaceutical products.

Its reach includes remote northern nursing stations in communities such as Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake. Some deliveries travel approximately 1,550 kilometres from Winnipeg and require a combination of ground, air and rail transportation, along with specialized temperature-control solutions to protect medications throughout the journey.

Delivering Through Disruption

Severe winter storms, flooding, wildfires and road closures can disrupt regular transportation routes and affect how medications reach communities. During these events, the Winnipeg team works with transportation partners to identify alternate routes and delivery methods while prioritizing employee and driver safety.

During flooding in the Swan River region in June 2026, for example, deliveries were re-routed and specialized temperature-control solutions helped protect medications during extended transit times.

The Winnipeg facility also works alongside McKesson Canada distribution centres in Edmonton and Surrey. Together, the Western Canadian network maintains contingency plans and shared capacity to help support continuity of supply during severe weather, transportation interruptions and other emergencies.

Winnipeg Distribution Centre at a Glance

• $65-million investment and 125,000 square feet of distribution space
• More than 100 employees
• 3,000 square feet of refrigerated storage capacity
• More than 15,000 pharmaceutical products carried
• Supports more than 1,100 hospitals, clinics and pharmacies across Manitoba, Southern Saskatchewan, Northwestern Ontario and Nunavut
• More than 21 million medication units distributed in 2025