Empire Company Limited advanced its plans to expand FreshCo into Western Canada. As announced in fiscal 2018, the company is expanding its FreshCo discount business into Western Canada through the conversion of approximately 25% of its 255 Safeway and Sobeys full service stores. Two locations were announced in Manitoba in July 2018 and 10 B.C. locations will be announced January 29, 2019. The first five Western Canada FreshCo stores are expected to open in the Spring of 2019 – three in B.C. and two in Manitoba. An additional seven stores are expected to open in B.C. in the first half of fiscal 2020, depending on timing of construction schedules and permits. In addition to five stores previously closed, the Company will close a further five stores in the first half of fiscal 2020 to begin construction. Closure costs for these stores are estimated to be approximately $10 million and will be charged to operating earnings in the third quarter of fiscal 2019. The 12 FreshCo store locations confirmed to date are: B.C. locations – Abbotsford, Aldergrove, downtown Chilliwack, Ladner, Maple Ridge, Mission, Broadmoor and Blundell in Richmond, and Strawberry Hills and Newton in Surrey. Manitoba locations – Kildonan and Jefferson in Winnipeg.