Portage Place Redevelopment to Bring Downtown Winnipeg Its First Full-Service Grocery Store
The former Portage Place shopping center in downtown Winnipeg is undergoing a sweeping redevelopment that will introduce a long-anticipated full-service grocery store to the city’s core. True North Real Estate Development Limited, the developer behind the project, confirmed that Red River Co-op will anchor the revitalized site, offering downtown residents and workers access to fresh groceries, pharmacy services, and household essentials when it opens in 2029.
The announcement comes just days after Manitoba Finance Minister Adrien Sala discussed measures aimed at reducing food prices, including the possibility of bringing a grocer to downtown Winnipeg — a need that has been voiced by the community for years.
Mayor Calls It a Missing Piece of the Downtown Puzzle
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham expressed strong support for the project, calling the addition of a grocery store a transformative step for the city’s downtown. “This is a very big deal. A full-service grocery store downtown has been talked about for years as one of the missing pieces in the downtown puzzle,” Gillingham said at the announcement, noting that he has been hearing calls from residents for years to build a grocery store in the area.
Gillingham emphasized that the project aligns with a broader vision for downtown Winnipeg as a collection of vibrant neighborhoods. “We need to see our downtown more and more as a series of neighborhoods where people work and play, but also where more and more people live. That’s really the future we’re working toward,” he said, adding that he believes the grocery store will significantly improve quality of life in the downtown core.
A Mixed-Use Community Campus
Redevelopment work is already underway at the mall, with plans that extend well beyond the grocery store. The project will include a health center and a 15-story multifamily residential complex. According to a 2024 press release from the City of Winnipeg, 40 percent of the residential units will be designated as affordable housing.
Jim Ludlow, president of True North Real Estate Development, described the project as a fundamental reimagining of the site. “This redevelopment represents a major transformation of the site and the surrounding downtown area, transforming an old, inward-facing shopping center into an open community campus with active storefronts along Portage Avenue,” Ludlow said. He added that Portage Place will “transform from a shopping center to a community campus. From unsafe to safe. From empty to vibrant.”
The revitalized center will also feature green space and attract new businesses to the downtown area. A long-term lease between True North and Red River Co-op was signed earlier this week, solidifying the grocery anchor’s commitment to the location.
Healthcare, Pharmacy, and Community Services Under One Roof
Red River Co-op CEO Craig Glipin highlighted that the development goes beyond simply filling a grocery gap. “This is the right time. This is the right development. It’s not just grocery, it’s pharmacy, health care, community services. It’s the right investment at the right time,” Glipin told reporters.
Indigenous Organization Partners on Affordable Housing
The Southern Chiefs’ Organization is also active in the region, working to create affordable housing for the Indigenous population in the inner city. The organization’s Wehwehneh Bahgahkinahgohn House will replace the former Hudson’s Bay building nearby, adding another layer to the broader revitalization effort.
Grand Chief Jerry Daniel of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization spoke at Wednesday’s press conference, stressing that housing alone is not enough. “Housing cannot stand alone. If we want people and families to thrive downtown, we need some things that every neighborhood needs,” Daniel said. “You need strong foundations and strong organizations that provide things like fresh food, health care and pharmacy services, and community spaces to create a safer downtown and walkable connections.”
Provincial Government Backs the Project
The struggling shopping center has undergone several renovations in recent years as the city sought a viable path forward for the site. In 2024, the Government of Manitoba approved a $50 million redevelopment project for Portage Place, signaling strong provincial support for the transformation.
With construction already in progress and key tenants secured, the Portage Place redevelopment represents one of the most significant investments in downtown Winnipeg’s future in decades — one that aims to turn a once-struggling retail property into a thriving, mixed-use community hub.
