US retail behemoth Wal-Mart said Thursday it will add or expand 25 to 27 stores in Canada in the coming months, and hire 6,000 new employees -- soon topping 300 stores in this country.
More than half of its newly announced projects are new stores, or so-called "supercenters" that blend merchandise and groceries, the company said.
To date, Wal-Mart has opened 32 "supercenters" in Canada.
"Our 300th store and the pace of supercenter expansion will make 2008 a major milestone in Wal-Mart Canada's lifespan," said David Cheesewright, Wal-Mart Canada president and chief executive.
The retailer currently employs more than 80,000 Canadians nationwide.
The new and expanded stores are scheduled to open by the end of January 2009, Wal-Mart's fiscal year-end.
