Walmart Canada is going to invest $3.5 billion over the next five years to develop so-called “smarter stores” throughout the country.
The spending includes $1.1 billion to build two new distribution centres in Vaughan, Ontario, and Surrey, British Columbia, as well as to renovate an existing facility in Cornwall, Ontario. The investment will create hundreds of construction jobs in Canada and forge partnerships with Canadian high-tech companies, Walmart Canada said in a news release.
The retailer will also renovate 150 stores, or more than one-third of its total network of more than 400 stores in the country, over the next three years. It plans to accelerate digitization to make its stores smarter, which will include expanding electronic shelf labels and shelf scanners to monitor product volumes.
Walmart Canada will also revamp checkouts with larger self-checkouts, as well as technology that will allow customers to check out items from anywhere in the store. Robotics and computer vision cameras will also be used to help with efficiency and accuracy.
Walmart Canada also aims to offer a complete merchandise pick-up services at about 270 branches, or 70% of its locations in Canada, by the end of this year. It will pilot hybrid locations that have micro fulfilment centres in an effort to increase pick-up and delivery order speeds.
