Mississauga, ON – Walmart Canada is investing $1 billion in infrastructure this year as part of the retailer’s efforts to speed up and transform the business for its customers.
A cornerstone of the investment includes more than $100 million to build a new high-tech sortable fulfillment centre near Montreal in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec – the first of its kind for Walmart in the province. The new facility, currently slated to open in 2024, will offer better product availability and quicker service for customers choosing to shop in-store or online at Walmart.ca.
This year’s $1 billion investment also includes plans to update and remodel a record number of stores in a year. Store changes include modernizing and upgrading physical spaces with a focus on improving the customer experience both in-store and online.
These projects are all part of Walmart Canada’s multi-year $3.5 billion investment to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster and more convenient for customers as the retailer invests for continued growth to help more Canadians save money and live better.
Quebec fulfillment centre
- The Quebec fulfillment centre, to be located in Vaudreuil-Dorion, will be approximately 457,000 square feet in size, serving as a delivery hub for millions of customer orders in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
- The facility will be powered by cutting-edge logistics technology to achieve productivity with less physical effort by using innovative technology.
- This platform will speed up order fulfillment through an advanced operating system that will help associates store, pick and sort items by using smart and flexible storage abilities to manage a large and wide variety of inventory.
- Capable of shipping 20 million items annually from the facility to local customers.
- Capable of storing 500,000 items to fulfil direct to home and in-store pickup orders.
- Designed to optimize packaging, minimize waste and reduce transportation costs.
- Creating approximately 225 new jobs in Quebec, plus construction and engineering jobs.
- Individuals can apply for jobs at the fulfillment centre at https://careers.walmart.ca/.
“This important investment is the latest example of Walmart’s commitment to Quebec,” said Cyrille Ballereau, Walmart Canada Regional Vice President for Quebec. “We are investing for growth in Quebec and creating jobs for Quebecers to better serve our customers. Quebecers will see refreshed stores, quicker service and more options available in-store and online. When Quebecers choose Walmart, they are choosing to support a retailer that supports Quebecers.”
Investing in stores, supply chain across Canada
This year’s infrastructure investments include plans to spend approximately $330 million to revamp and refresh more than 80 stores from Port Alberni, B.C., to Carbonear, N.L., providing more than 2,500 trade and construction jobs. Some of the enhancements include:
- Expanding product assortment and offering an upgraded look and feel.
- Integrating more dedicated omnichannel spaces for more online orders.
- Refreshing interiors and exteriors, including fresh paint and new signage.
- Adding LED lighting to key departments to enhance the interior experience.
- Updating associate lounge areas, including new couches and other upgrades.
- Renovating washroom areas, including new tiling and sustainability features.
- Replacing and upgrading legacy systems with new technology and applications.
“We know these are challenging times for our customers. That’s why we are proud to be making significant investments in Canada to deliver the very best shopping experience,” said JP Suarez, Executive Vice President, Chief Administration Office and Regional CEO for Walmart International, who is also leading Walmart Canada on an interim basis. “We are building a better Walmart Canada to help more Canadians save money and live better. As the cost of living rises, Canadians can trust Walmart to be that convenient, one-stop shop for everyday low prices.”
“We are thrilled to partner with a brand and business as strong and reputable as Walmart,” said Tyler and Chris Harden, Co-CEOs of Harden. “This state-of-the-art fulfillment centre is a true testament to their vision for the future of retailing and a long-term commitment to Vaudreuil and the province of Quebec as a growing hub. We are proud to be executing the construction of this project on behalf of Walmart Canada, with our in-house construction team, and to add this asset to our portfolio.”
Walmart Canada in Quebec
- Walmart Canada has been proudly serving Quebecers since 1994.
- Walmart has 71 stores and more than 14,500 associates in Quebec.
- Walmart recently purchased approximately $3.2 billion worth of products from more than 500 Quebec-based suppliers over a 12-month period.
- Walmart raised and donated more than $5.3 million for Quebec charities in 2021.
- The record number of store renovations this year includes 17 stores in Quebec.
About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada’s flagship online store, Walmart.ca, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada’s largest employers and is ranked one of the country’s top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada was recently recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company of 2022 and was also named one of Canada’s most popular brands (based on Google searches). Walmart Canada has made a commitment to regeneration – focusing on equitable opportunity, sustainability, community, ethics and integrity. Since 1994, Walmart Canada has raised over $500 million to support communities across Canada. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada’s social media pages – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
