Walmart Canada to Expand

Walmart Canada has revealed plans to complete at least 37 supercenter projects during its next fiscal year, which runs from Feb. 1, 2013, to Jan. 31, 2014. The Mississauga, Ontario-based retailer will also expand its distribution network to support ongoing store growth and expansion plans.

The distribution center projects, construction of new stores, and expansion, renovation or relocation of existing locations represent an investment of more than $450 million in the Canadian economy, and are expected to create more than 7,000 store, trade and construction jobs.

“Our associates across the country have done an incredible job this past year serving our customers and opening a record number of new stores and supercentres,” noted Walmart president and CEO Shelley Broader. “This year, we are ramping up our focus on lowering prices and helping customers lower their cost of living, as we continue to bring our supercenter format to more Canadians.”

As part of this expansion of the supercenter format, the company will open the first such stores in Canada’s Maritime provinces this year, added Broader.

The locations for specific construction projects will be revealed as the details for each project are finalized, according to the company.

As of Jan. 31, Walmart Canada, a division of Bentonville, Ark.-based Wal-Mart Stores Inc., will have 379 stores, including 209 supercenters. The company’s expansion plans are expected to bring its store count to 388 by the close of January 2014. The retailer will hold grand openings for nine supercenters on Jan. 25. The last two of the 73 store projects planned for the current fiscal year will hold their grand openings on Jan. 31.

Walmart Canada has maintained a 35-to-40-supercenter project annual growth rate for the past several years. Fiscal 2013 was an exceptional year for the retailer, because of the addition of 73 projects, including 39 former Zellers stores.