Walmart Canada plans to invest more than $175 M to build a new 300,000 sq ft frozen grocery facility in Surrey, BC. The news follows on the heels of Amazon's announcement to build a new Caledon, Ont. fullfment centre.

The new Walmart facility will create between 50 to 200 new, long-term jobs. In addition, 300 skilled construction and engineering roles to support the 14 to 18-month build period will be required once construction begins in early 2021. Building designers will focus on sustainability, including plans for it to be a zero-waste facility when it opens in early 2022. 

"Walmart Canada is delighted to build our new fulfillment centre in Surrey," says John Bayliss, senior vice president, logistics and supply chain, Walmart Canada. "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." 

The new facility will deliver fresh produce and frozen grocery to 60 stores throughout BC, providing better access to grocery items for Walmart Canada's stores in the province. It will also reduce the company's long-haul trips and directly reduce its carbon footprint. 

Amazon's new 1 million sq ft centre will be the company's sixth facility in Ontario and ninth in Canada. The centre is expected to be built by the end of 2019 and, along with its future Ottawa facility, will bring more than 1,400 jobs to the province.

The announcement comes as Amazon is hunting for a home for its second North American headquarters, dubbed HQ2. Toronto is now the only Canadian city still in the running to house the new headquarters.