Two new massive Canadian Tire locations have opened in Ontario and are part of Canada's "Remarkable Retail" expansion. This new concept portrays the next generation of the company's store format and there are plans to open more in Canada.
You can check out the new store locations in Ottawa and Welland, Ontario, both of which opened in the fall of 2022. Ottawa's Carlingwood store is the largest in the country at 135,000 square feet in size and it has two floors to shop. The Welland spot is almost 120,000 square feet in retail size and is the third largest in Canada.
The next Remarkable Retail store will be coming to Canada's west coast and is targeted to open in Calgary in 2025.
Two-storey retail space at the new Canadian Tire in Ottawa.Courtesy of Canadian Tire
These large stores have, "more than 100,000 square feet of retail space, and are focused on delivering a ‘wow’ experience to customers by showcasing the breadth and depth of Canadian Tire’s product assortment and bringing meaningful brand experiences to life," according to a company fact sheet.
This new Canadian Tire concept's claim is to provide an enhanced customer experience with an expanded stock assortment and different shopping methods, including Click and Collect, home delivery and curbside pickup.
The Ottawa store, for example, has a six-car customer pick-up area for Click and Collect purchases made online, a giant four-season Garden Centre connected to the store and a new auto service department with a lounge area and upscale tire wall. There are also gender-neutral washrooms.
The Welland store is on Primeway Drive and has over 1,150 items on display so customers can see the wide Canadian Tire product variety. The store design is modern and sleek with enhanced in-store technology and there is a 12-car, enclosed pick-up drive-thru area. It also features a transformed Seasonal Centre and an upgraded auto service department, similar to the Ottawa spot.
These two massive new stores are, "part of Canadian Tire’s $3.4 billion strategic investment over four years to create better customer experiences across the country," according to the company.