Big solar power for a brighter future

Imagine a building so big it could hold more than seven football fields on its roof. That's our new East Gwillimbury Distribution Centre (DC)! This amazing new automated facility is not just huge, but it will also be home to Canada’s largest solar rooftop, once completed it in 2026.  

Our East Gwillimbury DC is a true powerhouse, covering 1.2 million square feet and standing 100 feet tall. It has four different temperature zones, 235 dock doors, and will handle 140 million cases of products each year once it's fully up and running. This incredible centre will serve over 1,400 stores, making sure our shelves are always stocked. It's also the first place in our network to have all-electric shunt trucks and a smart, automated gatehouse that makes things run smoothly for drivers. Building this giant needed over 10,330 tons of steel for its special racking and platforms, and it will be Canada's largest WITRON(Open in a new tab) system.  

But what will make this DC even more special is the clean energy it will generate to help power its operations through Canada’s largest solar rooftop. Solar panels will cover approximately 435,000 square feet, and generate over 8.5 million kilowatt-hours of clean on-site power annually. This is targeted to generate up to a quarter of the electricity needed to operate the DC! 

“From the moment we began construction on our East Gwillimbury Distribution Centre, we knew we needed to take full advantage of the rooftop space to generate clean, renewable energy for the facility,” explains Tom Marson, VP of Building Technology & Energy. “This solar installation will work alongside several other sustainable features at the DC, including fully-electric shunt trucks, and advanced building energy management systems.” 

This huge solar project shows how serious we are about fighting climate change.  

“This installation clearly demonstrates our commitment to taking decisive action as we work to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2040 for our enterprise operating footprint,” adds Tom.  

We're partnering up again with Great Circle Solar, a Canadian leader in clean energy to develop, own and operate this project. We've worked with them since 2012 on over 90 projects across Canada, including solar rooftops at more than 58 of our sites.  

For nearly two decades, we have remained committed to fighting climate change. In 2024, we achieved a 16% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (vs. 2020 baseline) and invested over $40 million in more than 500 carbon reduction projects.   

The East Gwillimbury DC, is a shining example of how we are building a brighter, more sustainable future. This effort reflects our commitment to our planet, to making a positive difference in the communities we serve, and to helping Canadians Live Life Well^®.