On Thursday, Walmart Canada announced an investment of approximately C$6.5 billion ($4.51 billion) to construct new stores and expand its supply chain, the largest investment since its inception nearly 30 years ago. The Canadian sector of the U.S. retail giant Walmart intends to broaden its presence by establishing multiple new stores, with plans to inaugurate five new supercenters in Ontario and Alberta by 2027. Furthermore, it aims to enhance its distribution centers.
Joe Schrauder, Walmart Canada's chief operations officer, highlighted, Across the country, we’re making strategic investments in our online and in-store offerings to be more relevant to more customers than ever before.
Presently, Walmart Canada operates over 400 stores and employs more than 100,000 individuals nationwide. This move mirrors Walmart's recent expansion in the United States. The company is following the trend of other retailers like Target in striving for a larger market share, particularly with the growing demand for free and curbside delivery services.
Moreover, Walmart Canada revealed its intention to sell its fleet business to Canada Cartage, a fleet services provider, but did not disclose the terms of the deal. Additionally, the company also implemented salary increases for its hourly retail and frontline associates in Canada the previous year.