Prioritize objective criteria: proximity to the port or intermodal terminals, average drayage and transit times to your customers, warehouse throughput and staffing models, technology (WMS/EDI), pick‑pack accuracy, SLA penalties, and transparent pricing. Also validate seasonal capacity, returns handling, and carrier partner density before committing.

Confirm rail and highway connectivity, proximity to the Port of Halifax, container handling capacity, availability of bonded and temperature‑controlled facilities, air freight options for urgent lanes, and the strength of local drayage and LTL networks. Ask for empirical transit time matrices and carrier manifests where possible.

Look for multi‑channel pick‑pack systems, real‑time WMS integrations (inventory visibility across channels), efficient returns processing, kitting and light assembly, cold‑chain if needed, bonded options for importers, and documented carrier integrations to support consistent last‑mile performance.