Lululemon Expanding Vancouver HQ, Creating 2,600 New Jobs
The athleisure brand has received key support from Federal and Provincial Governments for its investments in British Columbia
Lululemon is committing to expanding its presence in its hometown Vancouver by creating over 2,600 local jobs over the next five years, which comes as the athleisure brand is being recognized as an investment project under the Canada-British Columbia Immigration Agreement.
The athleisure brand has been credited for employing thousands of Canadians and bringing employees in from abroad, and has been given a designation from the Canadian federal government that will allow Lululemon to onboard international talent in high-skilled roles.
Due to the new agreement, Lululemon has reportedly secured an additional 125,000 square feet of office space in downtown Vancouver.
In 2022, the company employed nearly 9,000 people in Canada.
The athleisure company’s growth plans for its global headquarters were welcomed by officials, including The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Anne Kang, British Columbia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs.
Lululemon’s planned expansion includes the growth of its store support and global training centers.
“Lululemon is a great Canadian success story,” said The Honourable Sean Fraser, who added that the athleisure wear company has become an iconic symbol of Canadian artisanship and entrepreneurial spirit.
“As they retain their global headquarters in Vancouver and continue to expand, our government will continue to pursue an immigration policy that ensures employers like Lululemon can attract the talent they need to drive economic growth here in Canada,” Fraser continued.
For Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald, the government recognition is meaningful, providing the activewear company with the opportunity to bring on global talent and create meaningful career paths at Lululemon.
“As a proudly Canadian brand, we are fortunate to be in partnership with the provincial and federal governments, who were able to move this forward for us,” McDonald said.
In addition to creating new jobs, Lululemon is also pushing into green-focused garment technology, recently entering into a multiyear agreement with Samsara Eco, an Australian-based eco-tech startup.
The partnership will see Samsara Eco develop the world’s first infinitely recycled nylon 6,6 and polyester from apparel waste and marks the first-ever minority investment in a recycling company for Lululemon.
On June 1, the athleisure company is expected to report its earnings for the fiscal quarter ending April 2023.
