Walmart has scrapped plans to operate a $100-million fulfillment centre in the Montreal area.

The company had planned to open the facility, which is under construction, early this year in the municipality of Vaudreuil-Dorion. According to CBC, local developer Harden owns the property and Walmart was to be a tenant.

Walmart wants to focus on unlocking its stores’ omnichannel shopping capabilities for Quebec customers instead, said Sarah Kennedy, a company spokeswoman, adding that U.S.-based giant still intends to continue to invest in Quebec..

“By the end of our next fiscal year, we plan to invest about $100M to upgrade eight stores within the province,” wrote Kennedy in a statement that she provided to Connect.

Walmart’s decision came after it opened a new $20-million super centre comprising 140,000 square feet in Montreal in August 2023. In addition to noting that opening, Kennedy said Walmart has invested $120 million in Quebec store upgrades in the past two years. Walmart operates 73 stores in the province with about 14,000 employees, which the company calls associates.

Luc Boyer, director of economic development and an industrial commissioner with Développement Vaudreuil-Soulanges, told CBC that he does not expect the prime location to be vacant for long.