Metro opens new store in Kanata with free drive-in movies and $5,000 donation to food cupboard

(Via Metro)

Kanata residents are being treated to a one-of-a-kind movie experience with one of the largest concessions stands possible - a Metro grocery store. To mark the opening weekend of its newest store on Eagleson Road, Kanata, ON, Metro is transforming the parking lot into a drive-in movie occasion for the community to enjoy for free. Tickets for the drive-in were made available online and were snapped up in hours.

The stunning 40,000 square foot store marks Metro’s second location in Kanata, offering customers a variety of fresh and local products including Foodland Ontario produce, sustainable seafood and ready-made meals, Nescafe Coffee Bar, pharmacy and free electric vehicle charging stations. The Eagleson Road store will officially open its doors on August 20, bringing approximately 120 new jobs to the community.

As part of Metro’s Locally Sourced program, $0.25 of every Locally Sourced product sold will be donated to Feed Ontario from now until September 10. The Locally Sourced program supports local vendors by showcasing their products in Metro locations across Ontario. The new Kanata store will open its doors to Ottawa area vendors such as Oat & Mill who create delicious, non-dairy ice cream, coffee from local beaneries Francesco’s Coffee and Joe the Dog Coffee, and creamed honey from neighbouring hives harvested by Heavenly Honey.

“This new store is a true complement to the Kanata community. We are giving customers what they want including an expanded health and wellness offering, local products through our Locally Sourced program and a great selection of ready-made meals for busy and self-isolating families. It is important to us that our store integrates with the community offering a safe place to shop during COVID-19 and we’re pleased to make a donation to the Kanata Food Cupboard to help fight food insecurities in the community during these unprecedented times,” says Joe Fusco, Senior Vice President, Metro.

Family-friendly movies will be shown on the evenings of August 21 and 22 in the parking lot of the new Metro Eagleson Rd. location, at 10 Cope Drive in downtown Kanata. There will be two showings per night at 9 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Accessible washrooms will be available on-site with access to hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations as well. Tickets for the event were snapped up in hours following an online community release.

To emphasize its commitment to the Kanata community, Metro will be donating $5,000 to the Kanata Food Cupboard, a partner of Feed Ontario, to help support those in need. Frontline food bank workers as well as Metro Kanata employees will also be treated to a front-row experience throughout the two-night event.

“Since beginning our COVID-19 response in March 2020, we have seen over four-thousand residents come to the Kanata Food Cupboard (KFC). The KFCs ability to navigate these challenges depends greatly on organizations in the community. With many of our traditional fundraising efforts cancelled this year, a donation like Metro’s is of huge assistance. Our operations have been drastically modified but having the necessary resources is instrumental in continuing to provide food security to Kanata residents. It is only thanks to the kindness and generous support from Metro that we are able to continue building a better future for our community together. Thanks Metro,” says Dylan Samuel, Chairperson, Kanata Food Cupboard.

Metro continues to take all the necessary steps to keep employees, customers and the entire community safe and healthy. The store will be sanitized regularly according to the strictest hygiene standards, including increased frequency of equipment cleaning, especially in high-traffic areas. Find information about all Metro’s preventive measures available on our website here.

The store will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Senior hours will also be offered every day from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.