'It's a huge facility': Walmart opens new distribution centre in Moncton

The interior of the Walmart distribution centre is pictured in Moncton , May 1st, 2023.

Walmart Canada officially opened its new massive distribution centre in Moncton, N.B., Monday morning.

The 223,000 square-foot facility is the retailer's first distribution centre in Atlantic Canada and employs 130 people.

The shipping hub will distribute fresh and frozen groceries to over 40 Walmart locations across Atlantic Canada.

Walmart Canada President and CEO Gonzalo Gebara said Moncton was chosen for strategic reasons.

"Of course, there's the geographical one which is very important because of the type of business that we have which is very much related to supply chain networks,” said Gebara. “Moncton has proven to be a really, really good place for us to develop a facility like this. It's a huge facility, we were able to do it on time and we were able to do it with very good partnership with local authorities."

Dozens of municipal and provincial politicians were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony and 15-minute tour of the interior of the building, located in Moncton's Caledonia Business Park.

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said there's no question the business world will take note of an international retailer setting up a major operation in the province.

"So that brings in other people to look at what the opportunities are. I think since COVID we've seen a whole renewed interest in Atlantic Canada, but we've seen a renewed interest in New Brunswick and we're seeing people invest here in the private sector," said Higgs. "The future is in private industry investing, private investments that grows employment opportunities."

Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold said the city's four industrial parks are at capacity, and a fifth one will be coming soon.

"This distribution centre is exactly the kind of business we envisioned attracting when we began making strategic investments in our industrial parks a number of years ago," said Arnold.

Jim Cormier, the Atlantic director of the Retail Council of Canada, said Walmart is making a real commitment to Atlantic Canada.

"Whenever we can bring more jobs, more opportunity into Atlantic Canada for retail employees, it's a great news announcement,” said Cormier. “It also means that there's that much more opportunity with the distribution centre being here for the Walmart stores to be able to ensure Atlantic Canadians have access to the myriad of products that they offer."

More than $50 million is being invested in the centre that has the capability of processing more than two million cases of product every month.