The city’s development wing says a 10,000-square-foot grocery store is needed in Winnipeg’s downtown near The Bay.
CentureVenture said a report concludes there is a need, but added it doesn’t say how a store would become a reality.
It said start-up costs for any grocer downtown would be a challenge, adding profit margins would be tight too.
It also says there is a financial gap that would need to be addressed to assist any business planning to set up shop.
CentureVenture said it is now studying what other cities do in order to figure out how to attract a store downtown.
Some city councillors have suggested incentives or tax breaks to lure a chain to the area.
Earlier this year, however, the mayor's inner circle shot down the idea of providing incentives.
Now, one of the councillors who pitched the idea of incentives is hoping the report will renew them as an option to draw a new grocery store downtown.
"It's pretty unlikely that it's going to happen on its own. There is going to have to be some action taken to attract that store," said Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry).
The Zellers grocery store in The Bay basement and some others near downtown shut their doors this year.
Susan McConnell lives downtown. She said with the Zellers grocery store closed, it means venturing further away for food.
"That means going outside and with this walker in the winter, it's hard to push," she said.
McConnell believes a grocery store in the downtown is definitely needed.
"Oh yes. People here would go. Everybody here has difficulties with the shopping," she said.
On Friday, a group building a large complex downtown said it is planning to have a full grocery store on site in a few years.
- with a report from Jeff Keele
