Metro investing $420 million to build, expand Quebec distribution centres

Metro says it will spend $420 million over five years to build an automated distribution centre near Montreal and expand another facility in Laval, Que.

The company says the new distribution centre for fresh and frozen products in Terrebonne will open in 2023. Employees at its existing meat and frozen food distribution centre in Montreal North, and fish and seafood distribution centre in Riviere-des-Prairies/Pointe-aux-Trembles, will be transferred to the new 600, 000-sq.-ft. facility. Dairy products will then be distributed from the new Terrebonne centre.

The produce and dairy products distribution centre in Laval will be expanded by 50,000 sq. ft. to handle an increased volume of fruits and vegetables. It will be completed by 2024.

"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 at Metro, in a press release.

These aren't the only distribution facilities Metro is working on. In September, the Quebec-based grocery broke ground on a semi-automated fresh distribution centre in Etobicoke, Ont. as part of a $400-million modernization plan that also includes a new frozen foods facility.