Costco To Expand Footprint in West Winnipeg

As with IKEA when it began construction years ago, company execs of Costco have figured the space they are building for their store near Assiniboia Downs is not big enough. It isn't. At 166,000 square feet, it isn't so much the store size but the loading area and parking lot. It appears another acre just north of the Costco is being made available for the store.

Adding parking space is nothing new. Costco Kenaston has had parking space added twice front and back. It has helped but not enough. Hence, the new store. Compound the possible issues when St. James Costco becomes a Costco Business Centre. The store will be more aimed at supply hotels, convenience stores and restaurants than family shoppers. It surely means family shoppers will head to Kenaston or Headingley.

Make no mistake a Business Centre fills a need and could help divert businesses to switch there for goods that they get at regular Costcos. However, the city likely needs four regular Costcos all with gas stations. We'll have to do with three as zoning for a Costco even where there there is space can take a decade to get. This will be for Costco to decide. They probably would like to be just outside of Winnipeg but Walmart has tried this. It depends on Winnipeg road access and most municipalities are are not willing to build the highway access to make it possible. And Winnipeg is not going to let a road be overused within city boundaries to service a Costco that doesn't make taxes in the city to maintain it.

For all these reasons Costco is looking to turn the west Portage Avenue location into the right size to serve a very large section of the city. They'll need a lot of parking. More than the 900 parking spaces have been listed this far. They'll need traffic lights and turning lanes for this massive amount of traffic.

And Costco is just the first part of a much larger commercial development in that area. It is still within Winnipeg's boundary so it will be a boon for taxation. It will also be huge for housing. What will be needed is bus transport. The Costco construction continues so expect to see it open in this year.