- What Walmart announced the details of a five-year Canadian expansion
- Why The company plans to open dozens of new stores as well as sell its fleet division to focus on its supply chain
- What next Two new stores offering groceries and a food distribution facility are opening in the GTA this year
Walmart Canada is pledging $6.5bn over the next five years to beef up its national retail presence.
The department-store giant said it plans to open dozens of new stores across the country, starting with five locations of its grocery-focused Supercentre brand.
The first will open in Mississauga, followed by Oakville, Ont., later this year. Walmart also plans to open three Alberta locations – in Calgary, Edmonton and Fort McMurray – by 2027.
The company also confirmed that a 550,000 sq ft distribution centre under construction in Vaughan will open in the spring. Construction of the centre, at 1110 Jane Street, began in 2020. Initially, it was expected to open in 2024.
The expansion announcement comes on the heels of grocery retailer Metro – one of Walmart’s largest national competitors – committing to the opening of 12 new discount supermarkets in 2025.
Last year, Metro completed construction of a 567,000 sq ft automated food distribution centre in Toronto’s Etobicoke region, part of a $1bn modernization plan.
Walmart and Metro, along with Loblaws, Sobeys and Costco, control over two-thirds of the national grocery market, estimated to be worth $112bn, according to a recent IBISWorld report.
Walmart also said it will sell its fleet division to trucking company Canada Cartage, which will take over the logistical operations for some 400 Walmart outlets across the country. The move is aimed at allowing the company to invest more in its supply chain and focus on its core business.
