Mississauga, ON, June 16, 2022 – Walmart Canada officially opened its new Victoria Hillside Walmart Supercentre in British Columbia today – the first new store in B.C. since 2018.
The community can now experience a modern, 145,000 sq. ft. store, conveniently located at Victoria’s Hillside Shopping Centre. Canada’s newest Walmart store will offer a fresh assortment of affordable groceries, including Canadian produce, beef, chicken, pork and seafood, general merchandise and convenient services at Walmart’s everyday low prices.
“Today is a very exciting day for Walmart Canada,” said Derreck Cuschieri, Vice President of Operations for Western Canada, Walmart Canada. “We are thrilled to be growing in Victoria. We want to help Canadians save money so they can live better with everyday low prices that will make a big difference for families. Our customers will benefit from having a store close to the downtown core where they can choose to shop in-store or online with in-store pickup or home delivery. We look forward to sparking positive change in Victoria.”
The new store is part of Walmart Canada’s $3.5 billion investment aimed to generate significant growth and to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster and more convenient for associates and customers.
“We’re incredibly excited to open this new store in beautiful Victoria,” said Store Manager Garrett Lawrence. “Our customers have been waiting for this and there has been so much excitement in the local community. Our associates have been preparing for months to welcome the people of Victoria into our new store. The store is bright and organized. Walmart is that convenient and affordable one-stop shop for Canadians looking to save money. We can’t wait to show Victoria what we have to offer.”
New features and offerings at the Victoria Hillside Supercentre include:
- An expansive international section including Asian, Southeast Asian, British, German, Latin and Italian foods.
- Walmart Express Pickup service with online grocery orders ready in two hours or less.
- Walmart Grocery Delivery service with local on-demand delivery.
- A Walmart Pharmacy slated to open in the coming weeks with a pharmacy team that is eager to offer new and longtime customers expert advice, compassionate help on health-care issues and assistance with products and prescriptions.
- A 4,000 sq. ft. Jack Nathan Health medical centre with paramedical services such as chiropractic, physiotherapy and a medical spa, expected to open in the summer of 2022.
- Sustainable features including a transcritical CO2 refrigeration system with rejected energy being reclaimed for building heating systems, a building automation system for lighting and HVAC controls, LED lighting and low flow fixtures.
- A clean look and feel at this two-level store with a distinct, tree-lined front entrance.
- A clear layout with vibrant signage designed to make it easy for customers to find items.
- Store hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
Job opportunities
Walmart is proud to be creating jobs in British Columbia. The Victoria Hillside Supercentre employs approximately 350 associates, including associates like Corey Tourand, an Operations Manager who has been with Walmart for 23 years. The renovation also created approximately 200 trade and construction jobs.
“Walmart is a great place to work and build a career,” added Lawrence, who has been with the retailer for nearly seven years and has 12 years of retail experience. “I love the culture and the people at Walmart, the pillars we stand for and the values we represent.”
“Hillside Centre and all of our merchants are very excited to welcome Walmart to our retail community,” said Kerry Shular, General Manager at Hillside Centre. “The addition of Walmart in the Oaklands neighbourhood will only enhance the work-life balance of our residents and truly bring a one-stop shopping experience to Hillside Centre’s customers.”
Investing in Victoria and British Columbia
- Walmart Canada has been proudly serving the Victoria community since 1994.
- The Victoria Hillside Supercentre is the third Walmart store in Greater Victoria.
- British Columbia is home to 48 Walmart stores and one distribution centre, employing more than 12,000 associates.
- Walmart works with more than 140 suppliers based in British Columbia, purchasing more than $640 million in product over a recent 12-month period.
- In April 2022, Walmart Canada officially opened its most advanced grocery distribution centre – a 300,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility in Surrey, B.C., creating more than 250 new jobs.
- In 2021, Walmart raised and donated over $4.7 million for charities in British Columbia.
Strengthening the local community
Walmart Canada is committed to the strengthening the communities where they operate and where their associates live through its regeneration strategy. The Victoria Hillside Walmart will be providing charitable support through its community giving program throughout the year. To mark today’s event, the store will donate $1,000 to each of the following groups:
- Canadian Liver Foundation
- Victoria Guitar Society
- Leadership Victoria
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 2021 and was also named one of Canada’s most popular brands (based on Google searches). Walmart Canada has made a commitment to regeneration – focusing on equitable opportunity, sustainability, community, ethics and integrity. Since 1994, Walmart Canada has raised over $500 million to support communities across Canada. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca and on Walmart Canada’s social media pages – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
