Walmart Canada announced on Thursday an investment of approximately C$6.5 billion ($4.51 billion) to build new stores and enhance its supply chain, marking the largest investment since its first store opened nearly 30 years ago.
The retail giant plans to open dozens of new stores, starting with five supercenters in Ontario and Alberta by 2027, and will also focus on modernizing its distribution centers.
Joe Schrauder, Walmart Canada’s Chief Operations Officer, said, “We are making strategic investments across the country in both online and in-store services to better serve our customers than ever before.”
With over 400 stores and 100,000 employees, Walmart Canada’s expansion follows a similar move by Walmart in the U.S., where it plans to open 150 new stores.
This investment comes as part of Walmart Canada’s strategy, alongside other retailers like Target, to expand locations and meet the growing demand for free and curbside delivery services.
Additionally, Walmart Canada announced it would sell its fleet business to Canada Cartage, although the terms of the deal were not disclosed. Last year, the company also raised wages for its hourly retail and frontline workers in Canada.
