Metro Inc. will invest $420 million over five years in the construction of a new, automated distribution centre for fresh and frozen products in Terrebonne, QC, just north of Montreal, and the expansion of its produce and dairy products distribution center in Laval. These investments will enable Metro to even better meet the expectations of its current and future customers and to continue its growth. The new Terrebonne distribution centre will open in 2023, while the expansion of the Laval distribution centre will be completed in 2024.
"Our new distribution centre of more than 600,000 square feet in Terrebonne will feature state-of-the-art technologies, allowing us to make significant efficiency gains. We will improve service to our store network with increased accuracy and reduced handling time, in both the distribution centres and the stores. For consumers, these new facilities will result in even more variety and freshness. We will be in an excellent position to pursue our growth in Quebec," said Eric La Flèche, president and chief executive officer of Metro.
The company has signed an agreement with Witron, an international leader in food distribution automation, with whom Metro is already working in Ontario, where similar facilities are currently under construction. "This $420 million investment in Quebec is in addition to the $400 million investment in Ontario announced in October 2017 for the modernization of our Toronto distribution centres. We are investing in order to remain at the forefront and better meet the expectations of our customers and our merchants, now and in the future," said La Flèche.
Employees working in Metro’s existing meat and frozen food distribution centre in Montreal North and fish and seafood distribution centre in Rivière-des-Prairies/Pointe-aux-Trembles will be transferred to the new distribution centre in Terrebonne. Moreover, the produce and dairy products distribution centre in Laval will be expanded by 50,000 square feet to handle an increased volume of fruits and vegetables. Dairy products will then be distributed from the new Terrebonne facility.
Projected volume growth, combined with the integration of volumes currently distributed by third parties, will allow Metro to maintain stable employment levels in Quebec. The company will work with its employees and the unions involved to facilitate the transition, including the implementation of the required training programs.
