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Walmart Canada invests nearly $1 billion to modernize stores, enhance customer experience

Nov. 30, 2023

MISSISSAUGA, ON, November 30, 2023 – Walmart Canada is investing nearly $1 billion this fiscal year as part of a multi-year modernization plan, with an ambition to become Canada’s leading omnichannel retailer and continue to help Canadians save money so they can live better. This includes unveiling its Store of the Future in Mississauga, Ontario, including the first Walmart Health hub in Canada, and investing over $300 million in store remodels and renovations.


These investments mark the midpoint in the five-year timeframe of the retailer’s major $3.5 billion investment in store infrastructure and customer experience transformation, first announced in July 2020.


Along with expanding Walmart Canada’s fulfillment network across the country to enhance the e-commerce experience for customers, this investment helps stores to meet the diverse needs of customers across various demographics.


“Walmart Canada has an ambition to be the most trusted retailer for Canadians. This is what we’ve worked towards for the last 30 years and it’s why we continue to invest, including nearly $1 billion this year, to build an even more efficient, consistent and reliable omnichannel experience for Canadians,” said Gonzalo Gebara, President and CEO, Walmart Canada. “We’re excited to welcome our customers into our modernized stores and for them to experience the future of Walmart Canada, no matter how they choose to shop with us.” 


Walmart Canada’s Store of the Future

Walmart Canada’s future flagship location, the Square One Walmart Supercentre in Mississauga, Ontario, is the retailer’s largest store by square foot and one of its largest capital investments in a single store.


With improvements already underway, this Store of the Future will act as a prototype for omnichannel retail innovation.

  • Immersive retail experiences will enhance in-store shopping for customers, including opportunities to experience and purchase products in new ways. This transformation will begin in electronics where traditional product cases will be replaced by open displays allowing for hands-on interactions.
  • Exploring new, technology-powered ways to shop. In this reimagined electronics department, customers will be able to see product availability in real-time, scan a QR code to place their order and experience immediate on-site delivery by an associate, facilitated by automation.
  • New Walmart Health Hub will centralize pharmacy, vision centre and medical clinic into one area, providing a one-stop shop for health and wellness needs, supported by the company’s new pharmacy app. Square One’s Walmart Health hub is the first of its kind in Canada and is a window to the future of how Walmart Canada will strive to enhance access to affordable, personalized healthcare.
  • An expanded omnichannel operations area provides dedicated space for associates to pick, pack and stage customer orders- creating more availability for pickup and delivery slots for customers.


Modernizing the in-store experience

Walmart Canada will upgrade and modernize 55 stores across the country this year to improve customer experience, including 20 extensive refurbishments. Stores in Rexdale, Mississauga (Erin Mills, Square One) and Newmarket in Ontario; Kirkland and Montreal Nord in Quebec and Kamloops in British Columbia will experience the most significant transformations.


Significant updates to 20 stores across the country this year will include changes such as:

  • Introducing a bold, modern look and feel, including clearer navigation, new aisle markers and enhanced customer-facing signage.
  • A focus on sustainability, including transitioning to CO2, a more environmentally-preferable refrigerant.
  • Updated Fresh departments, providing customers with a larger produce area, expanded assortment and overall improved shopping experience.
  • Enhanced support for omnichannel experience, including more dedicated space to pack and prepare customer orders and improved technology.


In August, the retailer also opened a brand new, 140,000 square-foot Supercentre in Montreal, Quebec’s Marché Central shopping centre.


Enhancing our e-commerce experience and fulfilment network

This year’s investments support new e-commerce-ready facilities to get products to Canadians faster, including the Rocky View County Fulfillment Centre, which opened June 2023 in Alberta. This facility is capable of shipping 20 million items annually direct to customers.


Additional initiatives to improve the online shopping experience for customers include Delivery Pass, which offers unlimited free next-day delivery through a subscription program, and a refreshed Walmart Canada App and website to better serve customers as they shop on the go.


About Walmart Canada
Walmart Canada operates a chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving 1.5 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, Walmart.ca, is visited by more than 1.5 million customers daily. With more than 100,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart Canada was recently recognized as a LinkedIn Top Company of 2022. Walmart Canada has made a commitment to regeneration – focusing on equitable opportunity, sustainability, community, ethics and integrity. Since 1994, Walmart Canada has raised over $650 million to support communities across Canada. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada’s social media pages – FacebookTwitterInstagram and LinkedIn.


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