Walmart in Squamish undergoing 'Supercentre' upgrade as fresh groceries sale ban lifted after 20 years
In Spring 2025, Squamish District Council approved Walmart’s rezoning application to enable the expansion of non-perishable food sales and the introduction of perishable food sales at the store location of 39210 Discovery Way. There are no longer any restrictions.
Site of Walmart at 39210 Discovery Way, Squamish. (Google Maps)
In 2005, as a condition of approval, the municipal government limited Walmart’s merchandise capabilities, including restricting the overall floor area that can be used for food sales and banning the sale of all types of fresh groceries. There were already some perishable and non-perishable food sale restrictions for the area prior to 2005; in 2002, the municipal government permitted some large-format retail businesses in this industrial park area, with some restrictions placed on food sales given the area’s intended primary use for industrial businesses. Walmart’s conditions for approval three years later went above and beyond the 2002-approved food sale restrictions.
Additionally, as part of the original 2005 approval, Walmart agreed not to apply for rezoning to seek the removal of these highly restrictive policies for a minimum of five years. The company exercised that option much later, in 2024, when it submitted a rezoning application to allow store retrofits and enable the sale of a full range of food items.
In the 1990s and 2000s, during a period of rapid expansion for Walmart, some municipal governments in Canada and the U.S. were unsure about letting Walmart open stores or sell fresh groceries because, while it could bring cheaper food and new jobs, it might also hurt the community. This was particularly the case for smaller cities and towns, with Squamish being no exception.
At the time, Walmart was not only opening more brand new store locations, but aggressively expanding its “Supercentre” store concept — a larger store offering fresh groceries alongside a more diverse merchandise mix — at both new stores and renovations to existing stores. Since then, this concept has basically become the chain’s standard.
Municipal officials in such communities worried that small, family-owned independent shops could be forced to close because they would not be able to compete with Walmart’s low prices, which could cost better-paying local jobs and make commercial areas in a community less active.
There were also concerns about more vehicle traffic, strain on roads, and changes to the town’s character.
In the case of selling fresh groceries, it was not uncommon for local government officials to fear that Walmart could push out established neighbourhood grocery stores.
Example of a Walmart store. (oasisamuel/Shutterstock)
However, these concerns are no longer an overwhelming obstacle. Locally elected officials have ultimately followed the advice of District staff, as Squamish’s population has increased substantially over the past 15 years due to new development. Much of this growth was driven by the major Sea to Sky Highway upgrade prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, which greatly improved accessibility and safety for a route previously deemed to be treacherous, and expanded roadway capacity.
According to the Government of British Columbia’s statistics office, Squamish had a population of 15,400 residents in 2006. This grew to 28,000 in 2024 and is projected to reach nearly 28,300 by 2026. The town’s population is forecast to further increase to 33,300 by 2036 and 36,400 by 2046.
District staff state that there is now a clear need for additional grocery options to serve Squamish’s growing population, and municipal staff have even welcomed the price competition that Walmart could bring given the current economic climate. This shift also follows years of significant post-pandemic market price inflation, particularly in grocery prices across Canada, which has negatively affected affordability, cost of living, and overall well-being, with Squamish also being no exception to this.
In addition to population growth along the Sea to Sky corridor following the pre-Olympic highway upgrades, the region has also experienced a surge in tourism. Squamish’s Walmart has become a popular stop for groceries and other necessities for local recreational visitors, as well as for tourists travelling to and from Whistler.
“Removing the restrictions will allow the Walmart store to provide a full range of food options, more typical of other Walmart stores, thereby increasing grocery options for Squamish residents (additional supply in the market increases competition, increasing the incentive to price food competitively),” reads a November 2024 report by District staff introducing Walmart’s rezoning application to District Council, and recommending approval.
“Over the last 15 years, the District has experienced significant population growth, which is projected to continue, driving demand and market support for additional food retail.”
The renovations now being performed will reach completion in Summer 2026, at which point a grand “reopening” celebration will be held. The store will remain open during construction.
The 2006-completed store building with about 87,000 sq. ft. of building floor area will not see a physical expansion for greater space. Instead, to accommodate the substantially expanded food offerings, the store interior will see a major reconfiguration and renovation.
As well, there will be upgrades to the building exterior, such as updated signage and a repainting of facade, and the installation of two public art murals.
Currently, the building’s exterior store name signage still uses Walmart’s old corporate logo that was discontinued in 2008, when it was replaced with a very modern design. The company’s 2008-launched logo has since undergone minor refinements, most recently in 2025.
Existing condition:
Site of Walmart at 39210 Discovery Way, Squamish. (Google Maps)
Future condition:
Concept of the Walmart Squamish “Supercentre” upgrade. (Abbarch Architecture/Walmart)
Before and after; concept of the Walmart Squamish “Supercentre” upgrade. (Abbarch Architecture/Walmart)
Before and after; concept of the Walmart Squamish “Supercentre” upgrade. (Abbarch Architecture/Walmart)
While the physical changes are relatively very modest — particularly as the building footprint will remain unchanged — the project represents a significant shift for the community, reflecting Squamish’s continued growth and the evolving role of the store in serving both residents and visitors.
In a news release this week, Walmart specifically noted the renovated and reconfigured Squamish store will offer produce, chicken, pork, beef, seafood, baked goods, and dairy products, as well as continued access to Walmart’s full general merchandise — including fashion, home goods, electronics, health and wellness, and seasonal offerings — and pharmacy, pick-up, and delivery services.
“We can’t wait to introduce our customer-favourite Supercentre format and the true one-stop shopping experience to Squamish,” said Shawn Fujiki, senior director of real estate for Walmart Canada.
“Thank you to the District of Squamish for their collaboration throughout the rezoning process, which allowed us to move forward with our plans to bring a Walmart Supercentre to the community.”
Furthermore, it was noted that the Squamish store upgrade forms part of Walmart’s strategy announced in January 2025 — a $6.5-billion investment over five years to overhaul its Canadian division. The plan encompasses renovations to existing stores, the opening of new locations, and improvements to distribution and logistics operations. This includes dozens of brand new stores across Canada, with the company having confirmed specific project locations in Alberta and Ontario, but none yet in B.C.
This also follows the $3.5 billion in similar capital investments spent on the company’s Canadian division since 2020. Other grocery chains are also in an active expansion mode, given the country’s current economic climate.
While the District of Squamish approved Walmart’s store opening proposal in 2005, that same year the City of Vancouver rejected Walmart’s rezoning application to build a 143,000 sq. ft. Walmart Supercentre store building complex at 86-168 Southeast Marine Dr. in South Vancouver — a 12.5-acre property that was home to a car dealership.
At the time, Vancouver City Council was similarly concerned about the multinational chain’s operations, labour practices, and potential impact to local businesses and jobs. Walmart ultimately opened within Vancouver’s municipal boundaries a few years later in 2009 by repurposing a former Costco Warehouse store building just off Grandview Highway, and another location opened nearby in North Richmond in 2016.
In 2022, Daily Hive Urbanized reported that Amazon acquired the former Walmart proposal site in South Vancouver for $150 million. While Amazon has not identified a specific use for the vacant site, it is presumed the property is being held for a potential future expansion of the company’s e-commerce distribution and logistics operations.
- You might also like:
- 44,000 sq. ft., two-storey grocery store to replace West Georgia Street parking lot in downtown Vancouver
- Vancouver's first FreshCo discount grocery store to replace former Toys 'R' Us on West Broadway
- Oakridge Park mall, rooftop public park, and community centre now months away from opening
- Decades-old Safeway on West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano to close this month for mixed-use housing and retail redevelopment
- Amazon buys former Walmart Marine Drive site in South Vancouver for $150 million
- Ikea is coming to the Fraser Valley — but it’s not the store you’re imagining