Loblaw Beefing Up Canadian Business, Creating Jobs

One month after Target Corp. pulled the plug on its 133-store Canadian subsidiary, leading Canadian grocer Loblaw Cos. Ltd. has revealed plans to pour more than $953 million into its domestic business in 2015. The investment will encompass work on dozens of new and existing stores, e-commerce expansion, and ongoing fixes to the supply chain and IT infrastructure. As a result, the company expects to create more than 20,000 staffing and construction jobs.

"While we continue to invest in the IT and infrastructure engines of our business, we're increasingly making investments that Canadians will see with their own eyes -- improving our offer, adding stores and creating jobs locally," said Galen G. Weston, executive chairman and president of Brampton, Ontario-based Loblaws. "True to our strategy, our investment will create better access to fresh food, wellness solutions closer to home, e-commerce convenience, and a family of stores that elevate grocery, pharmacy, apparel and banking experiences."

Loblaws operates more than 2,300 corporate, franchised and associate-owned locations (including 1,050-plus grocery stores) and has about 192,000 full- and part-time employees, making it one of Canada’s largest private sector employers.