Construction of Lowe’s Canada’s new bulk distribution centre in Rocky View County (RVC) is underway.
The home improvement giant announced June 10 the $120-million facility is slated to open fall 2021. The 1.23 million square-foot centre will be located in the High Plains Industrial Park in East Balzac. According to a statement from Lowe’s Canada’s media relations department, the site accommodates the company’s large space requirements, while offering additional capacity for future expansion.
“The construction of our new distribution centre is part of our plans to optimize our distribution network to better meet the needs and expectations of our in-store and online customers,” the statement read.
“From a transportation standpoint, the site offers highly efficient access to Highway 2 and Stoney Trail. High Plains is ideally located to serve Calgary, Edmonton and many other cities throughout western Canada.”
Lowe’s Canada currently operates four distribution centres in the Calgary area – a main one located in the southeast quadrant of the city and three satellite centres. Those three satellite centres will be consolidated into the new distribution centre, according to Lowe's, and employees at the three sites will be transferred there as well.
According to the company, the new distribution centre will have a 36-foot clear height, as well as 74 dock doors, 406 trailer parking stalls and a pickup area for customers. The facility will also include a 325,000 square-foot racked area, a 625,000 square-foot bulk storage area, an 11,000 square-foot main office and a 7,000 square-foot warehouse office.
“We also appreciated the fact that the 1,100-acre industrial park has been conceptualized with a focus on the environment through an innovative and sophisticated stormwater management system that naturally filters and cleans all stormwater through a series of on-site ponds and wetlands,” the statement read.
Lowe’s Canada is the latest large-scale corporation to establish a base for its distribution and storage operations in RVC, following in the footsteps of Amazon, Petland, PetSmart, Walmart, Sobeys, Smucker Foods, Gordon Food Service and Whirlpool, as well as major agricultural producers.
In a media release from RVC, Reeve Greg Boehlke touted competitive tax rates, accessible commercial transportation corridors, regulatory structures and best-in-class commercial developments the County offers in order to attract large corporations.
“The sound fiscal management of RVC’s municipal government gives us the ability to be both an excellent place to do business and an excellent place to live,” he said. “We’re responsive to the needs of the business community, and companies such as Lowe’s see that.”
The economic challenges Alberta is facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the slump in the oil and gas sector make the arrival of Lowe’s even more meaningful, Boehlke added.
“In the best of times, Lowe’s would be a most welcome addition to the RVC business family,” he said. “This is a major good-news story for RVC and shows confidence in the future of the region, the province, and western Canada.”
Scott Strasser, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @scottstrasser19
