ONTARIO, CANADA - With a slew of new advancements coming from Walmart these past few weeks, including the expansion of its InHome Delivery service and the revamp of one of its distribution centers (DC) in Mississippi, the retailer is continuing the trend with news coming from Canada. The big-box store announced that it will be growing its distrbution network with a $56 million investment used to build its first DC in Moncton, New Brunswick, of Atlantic Canada.

“Today’s investment is exciting news for all our associates, customers, and supplier partners as we continue building a Walmart Canada that is the envy of the world,” said Horacio Barbeito, President and CEO, Walmart Canada. “We are growing, and we are innovating because our customers deserve the best experience when they choose to shop with us. Today is a proud day.”

The new distribution center will provide fresh and frozen groceries for Walmart Canada’s 43 Atlantic Canada stores. Customers will see better product availability and quicker service whether they choose to shop in-store or online, a press release stated. The site will be located at 125 Frenette Ave and is slated to open fall 2022.

“Walmart Canada is delighted to be building our first distribution centre in Atlantic Canada in Moncton,” said John Bayliss, Executive Vice-President, Transformation Officer. “We’re developing a world class supply chain that prioritizes our customers. The better and stronger the supply chain, the quicker our customers can get the products they want in our stores and online.”

The project will create more than 200 jobs inside the distribution center, as well as construction and engineering roles during the build. Over the last 12 months, Walmart has purchased more than $185 million worth of products from over 68 Atlantic Canada-based suppliers in support of local economies. Twenty-one of these suppliers are in New Brunswick.

Walmart's more than $56 million investment will be part of the company’s milestone $3.5 billion investment over the next four years aimed to generate significant growth and to make the online and in-store shopping experience simpler, faster, and more convenient.

The 221,000-square-foot facility will sit on almost 19 acres of land and prioritize environmental sustainability, as Walmart’s ambition is to become a regenerative company. Some of the environmentally friendly features of its new DC include:

• Reducing long haul distances with each store delivery truck, as products are now much closer to the stores leading to millions of kilometers being removed from the supply chain each year
• Energy Star white reflective roof
• Energy efficient LED lighting with integrated motion sensors and intelligent controls
• Incorporating natural refrigerants
• Waste heat generated from the refrigeration system will be reclaimed and used to supply underfloor heating systems
• Efficient and longer lasting lithium-ion electric material handling equipment

In addition to this project, Walmart is also building DCs in Surrey, British Columbia (set to open in 2022), and in Vaughan, Ontario (set to open in 2024).

How will Walmart continue this growth trend in the weeks and months to come? AndNowUKnow will keep a pulse on the newswire to bring you the latest from the retailer.

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