Canada

Walmart store in Canada

Walmart Canada began in 1994 with the acquisition of the Woolco Canada chain of 122 stores.

The current President and CEO of Walmart Canada is David Cheesewright. Our headquarters are located in Mississauga, Ontario. For more information, please visit http://www.walmart.ca/wps-portal/storelocator/Canada-About_Walmart.jsp

Community

Canada flag

Walmart Canada is proud to support our local communities, and in 2008 we raised and contributed approximately US$17.2 million.

In 2008, our stores raised funds for the Canadian Red Cross to support domestic disaster relief as well as international efforts in China and Burma. We also sponsored the production of fleece blankets and donated gift cards to help disaster victims get hygiene kits. As a result, we donated more than US$1.8 million to the Canadian Red Cross.

Through our Local Matching Grant Program, we contributed US$3.2 million to more than 1,300 local non-profit organizations across Canada. We encourage stores and associates to make a difference in their communities by supporting fundraising and matching a portion of dollars raised.

Sustainability

In October 2008, we announced a polystyrene recycling program in partnership with Grace Canada, a producer of specialty construction materials. This company collects used expandable polystyrene packaging (also known as Styrofoam™) from eight of our locations and reuses it to produce fire-resistant commercial insulation.

We opened our first environmental demonstration store in Burlington, Ontario in January 2009. The store features a first-of-its-kind demonstration of geothermal heating and cooling technology in a large-scale Canadian retail operation – facilitated by 15 km of piping buried under parking lot – as well as energy-conserving lighting innovations. The new Supercenter is estimated to use 60 percent less energy than a typical Supercenter and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 141 tons. An estimated 85 percent of its waste will be diverted from landfills and recycled.

In 2009, we will also begin to roll out prototypical stores that are 30 percent more energy efficient.

On Wednesday, February 10, 2010, Walmart Canada will host a sustainability summit highlighting the very real business case for going green.

Participants may access the live and/ or archived event here.

Opportunity

In 2009, we were named to Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures by Waterstone Human Capital Inc., an executive search and human capital consulting firm. In previous years, we have been listed as one of Canada's best employers in the annual Hewitt Associates survey of the country's 50 Best Employers. In 2007 and 2008, the Workplace Institute listed us among the nine best employers for Canadians over the age of 50.

In September 2008, we held our fifth annual Supplier fair. The day-long forum at our Mississauga Head Office allows Ontario product manufacturers and suppliers to meet with buyers and learn about doing business with our stores. We currently do business with more than 6,000 Canadian suppliers to whom we pay more than $11 billion annually.