Steeve Azoulay

By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

Walmart is not closing, just Francizing, Steeve Azoulay of Walmart Canada has confirmed to The Suburban.

In an emailed statement, Walmart said “Walmart Canada has been proud to operate in Québec for more than 30 years. We remain dedicated to being a responsible and respectful partner in every community where we operate, including our commitment to respecting the French language.”

Calls started coming into The Suburban office last week from people wondering what was happening at the Walmart Supercentre on Decarie Boulevard. The sign on the big blue awning that said “Supercentre Walmart” is gone, which had people wondering whether the store is set to close.

There had even been reports on social media, complete with pictures, of empty store shelves further raising concern in the community that the store was packing up and moving on. The Suburban’s Mike Cohen had gone to the Decarie location to investigate. Sources suggested that the rumour of empty store shelves was actually a falsehood; the pictures were apparently of the store shelves at the Toys r Us store next door (earlier this year several Toys r Us stores closed across the country).

Last Wednesday the parking lot at the Decarie location and the store itself were both busy, and the shelves inside abundant. The signs at the Dorval and Pointe Claire locations are also gone. But those stores are also busy with fully-stocked shelves.

Staffers inside the Decarie location did not seem particularly informed. Some told Cohen that the sign was simply being repaired, that it hadn’t been lighting up properly. Others said that the sign was being changed to comply with sign and packaging regulations under Bill 96. However the sign does appear to have already been compliant with the law in terms of the French – and Canadian – spelling of “Supercentre,” and the word itself placed on top of the name “Walmart”.

One assistant manager, who asked that her name not be used, said that at first, she hadn’t noticed that the sign had been removed, but did say, although would not officially confirm, that it was being changed to comply with Bill 96.

“We take our legal and regulatory responsibilities seriously,” the statement said, “and will continue to comply with all applicable laws and regulations in Québec.  We’re collaborating closely with local authorities, including several municipalities across Québec, to secure the necessary approvals needed to make the required adjustments to our exterior signage.”