Based on this year’s research of Retail Council of Canada fourteen out of Canada’s top thirty most productive malls are located in Toronto Area, while all of the top ten Canadian malls, except for Vancouver’s Oakridge Centre, have recently undergone renovations.
This just goes to show some of the predictions of a slow retail expansion in Canada in 2017 were mostly wrong. Last year only, Nordstrom has opened two big locations in Toronto in the Eaton Centre and Yorkdale. Toronto has emerged as a major shopping destination and stores abound with luxury designer items and high fashion can be found around every corner.
Canada’s top shopping centres will continue to improve and we are bringing you some of the updates regarding big upcoming projects.
One of a kind, gigantic mall is about to take the spot on the site of the Market Village Asian shopping centre in Ontario. Remington Centre — an 800,000-square-foot mall will be located at the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road in Downtown Markham. The Remington Group Inc. has not revealed yet the exact date of the initial constructions, but it is said the project might kick off at the beginning of September this year.
Once the mall is done, visitors will be able to enjoy more than 360 retail stores and premium spaces reserved for upscale boutiques. The mall will include an adjoining 20-storey condo/ hotel tower that will be constructed in the second phase of the project.
One of the stunning features will be a six-acre outdoor public plaza with a pond that converts into an ice rink. A permanent stage will accommodate more than 2,000 people for weekly cultural performances in centre court.
The centre will be built in accordance with the Town of Markham’s green development guidelines. A network of pedestrian pathways and private streets will link the retail and residential environments. Another great part of this project includes ample bike racks throughout the site, as well as easy access to the nearby GO Station and York Region Transit terminal. Management of Remington Group Inc. has proudly announced the centre will also have Canada’s largest geothermal installation, with heating and cooling system in the floors.
Great update aslo regarding the east end of Toronto. East Harbour is an upcoming development that will be located below the Don Valley Parkway, near Leslieville. It is said the project will have big impact on the city's configuration. The plans are calling for additional transit stops, including a GO station, to be added to accommodate the development.
The official proposal describes the mall as a retail market that includes over 2 million square feet of retail space, making the shopping space larger than Yorkdale and comparable to the Eaton Centre. It is expected the project to feature not only numerous stores, but also office space and many restaurants. The only catch is that the project is planned to be finished in the next decade, so it will take some time until the residents of east end of Toronto head to this shopping paradise.
