Target Canada on Monday announced it is opening 21 more stores in the coming few weeks.

The Minneapolis-based retail chain opened the first three of 124 Canadian locations on March 5, and plans to open 18 more stores on Tuesday, with three more a week later.

So far, all the scheduled "soft launches" are in Ontario, with the opening concentrated for the time being in the Greater Toronto Area and southern Ontario. (Target will hold its "official" opening in April.)

"We opened them a little earlier than we would have thought typically," Target Canada's senior VP of merchandising John Morioka said, as quoted at the Globe and Mail. "We'll be better prepared for these store openings. But I won't guarantee anything as the response has been overwhelmingly positive."

Here are the new store locations:

Locations opening on March 19:

Ajax - Durham Centre
Aurora - Aurora Shopping Centre
Brampton - Shoppers World Brampton
Burlington - Millcroft Centre
Cambridge - Cambridge Centre
Etobicoke - Cloverdale Mall
Hamilton - Centre Mall
Lindsay - Lindsay Square Mall
London - Masonville Place
London - Westmount Shopping Centre
Newmarket - Upper Canada Mall
Orillia - Orillia Square Mall
Toronto - Centrepoint Mall
Toronto - East York Town Centre
Waterdown - Flamborough Power Centre
Whitby - Taunton Road Power Centre
Windsor - Devonshire Mall

Locations opening on March 28:

Brampton - Trinity Common
Burlington - Burlington Mall
Mississauga - Square One Shopping Centre
Toronto - Shoppers World Danforth

Loading Slideshow

• Target Opens In Canada

  A Canada flag flies on a customer's car parked in front of the new Target store in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. Target's expansion into Canada is continuing in big way over the next two weeks as the American retailer opens 21 new stores in Ontario.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Tony Fisher, President of Target Canada, speaks to the media during a tour of the new Target store in Guelph, Ontario. Target announced that it is opening three pilot stores in Guelph, Fergus and Milton, Ontario March 5, 2013, the first of 124 Target stores to open in Canada, Media were given a preview tour, Monday, March 4, 2013.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Employees work on preparing the new Target store in Guelph, Ontario. Target announced that it is opening three pilot stores in Guelph, Fergus and Milton, Ontario March 5, 2013, the first of 124 Target stores to open in Canada, Media were given a preview tour, Monday, March 4, 2013.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Employees welcome the first shoppers who lined up for the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Hundreds of shoppers wait for the opening of the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Tony Fisher, President of Target Canada, speaks to the media during a tour of the new Target store in Guelph, Ontario. Target announced that it is opening three pilot stores in Guelph, Fergus and Milton, Ontario March 5, 2013, the first of 124Target stores to open in Canada, Media were given a preview tour, Monday, March 4, 2013.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Employees work on preparing the new Target store in Guelph, Ontario. Target announced that it is opening three pilot stores in Guelph, Fergus and Milton, Ontario March 5, 2013, the first of 124 Target stores to open in Canada, Media were given a preview tour, Monday, March 4, 2013.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Employees work on preparing the new Target store in Guelph, Ontario. Target announced that it is opening three pilot stores in Guelph, Fergus and Milton, Ontario March 5, 2013, the first of 124 Target stores to open in Canada, Media were given a preview tour, Monday, March 4, 2013.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Shopper Sam Skelhorn waits in a tent for the opening of the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Hundreds of shoppers wait for the opening of the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Employees welcome the first shoppers who lined up for the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  Hundreds of shoppers wait for the opening of the new Target store in in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• Target Opens In Canada

  First customers Scott Lester (left) and Sam Skelhorn exit the new Target store with their purchases in Guelph, Ont. on Tuesday March 5, 2013. The company is expected to open between 125 and 135 locations in Canada.

• U.S. Retailers Coming To Canada: Bloomingdale's

  The iconic American upscale retailer is in talks with Hudson's Bay Company to become a "store within a store" at HBC locations in Canada. The move is seen as an attempt by The Bay to fight off the possible arrival of Nordstrom's (see next slide).

• U.S. Retailers Coming To Canada: Nordstrom

  One of the most prominent competitors to Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom announced in September, 2012, that it plans to open locations in Cadillac Fairview-owned malls in Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. The stores will open in former Sears locations.

• U.S. Retailers Coming To Canada: Marshalls

  Discount retailer Marshalls entered the Canadian market in March, 2011, and recently announced an expansion of six new stores in Ontario. At least a dozen of its 750 stores are now located in Canada.

• U.S. Retailers Coming To Canada: Lowe's

  The home improvement retailer began moving into the Canadian market in 2007, with a store in Hamilton, Ontario. It has since expanded to 31 locations in Ontario and Alberta.

• U.S. Retailers Coming To Canada: J. Crew

  Ritzy fashion chain J. Crew opened its first Canadian location in the summer of 2011, and immediately ran into public anger about the U.S.-Canada price gap. Shoppers complained that J. Crew's Canadian prices were about 15 per cent higher than in the U.S.