File photo of a Provigo shopper in the Quebec City suburb of Sainte-Foy.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
Loblaw Cos. Ltd.'s Provigo supermarket chain in Quebec plans to pump about $100-million into its store network this year as part of a major revamp operation.
The investment will create more than 100 permanent jobs in different regions in the province, the company said in a news release Tuesday.
The overhaul will involve a "significant number" of stores under the Provigo, Loblaws, Maxi and Maxi & Co. banners.
Part of the investment will go towards the creation of a "new concept version of Provigo and Loblaws stores in various regions of Quebec," the company said.
A new Provigo store in the new format is planned for Sherbrooke while existing outlets in the Montreal suburb of Ahuntsic and in Boucherville, as well as Loblaws stores in Magog, St-Bruno and St-Sauveur, will be renovated to adopt a similarly inspired concept, the company said.
A Loblaws store in Kirkland on the West Island of Montreal will be renovated as "the flagship store of the company's new conventional store model in Quebec."
Some store layouts at several Maxi and Maxi & Co. locations are up for review and new equipment will be installed, the company said.
Toronto-based Loblaw took over the Provigo chain in a controversial deal in 1998 valued at $1.56-billion.
It operates close to 400 corporate, franchised and affiliated stores in Quebec and employs about 30,000 people.
Bertrand Marotte