Walmart to build $175-million, zero-waste grocery warehouse in Surrey

Walmart. (Shutterstock)

Walmart Canada announced today it has chosen Surrey as the location of its new sustainably-designed fulfilment centre that provides new supply chain capacity for grocery products at its BC stores.

The 300,000-sq-ft facility is expected to cost $175 million to construct and will be located within an unspecified location at the Campbell Heights Business Park, which spans 1,900 acres in the southeast corner of the city.

It will be a high-tech, state-of-the-art fresh, frozen grocery facility that produces zero waste, with green designs including energy efficient LED lighting and intelligent controls to reduce lighting energy consumption by 70%, alternative lithium battery cell sources, efficient refrigeration systems, an HVAC system designed to reclaim heat rejected from the refrigeration system to heat offices and radiant under-floor heating, and the use of electric Walmart fleet vehicles traveling to and from the facility.

Over 200 workers will be employed at the facility, which will use state-of-the-art automated technology to get fresh produce and frozen groceries to 60 stores across the province.

“Walmart Canada is delighted to build our new fulfillment centre in Surrey,” said John Bayliss, senior vice-president of logistics and supply chain for Walmart Canada, in a statement.

“We believe that our zero-waste, sustainable facility will be a great fit for this community. We are also looking forward to working closely with the outstanding universities and colleges in Greater Vancouver to connect with highly-skilled individuals and offer employment opportunities.”

Construction is expected to begin in early-2021 for a completion and opening in early-2022.

Later this year, Walmart will also be opening a new Supercentre location within the former Target space at Metropolis at Metrotown shopping centre.

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