A large retail space of 42,000 square feet sits unoccupied in south Brandon, drawing concern from a city councilor. Jason Splett (Ward 8) expressed his desire to see a business establish itself in this location promptly.
The vacant spot on 18th Street, a prominent thoroughfare in southwestern Manitoba, has remained empty since 2017 when Sobeys relocated to a new site just across the street. Sobeys currently holds a lease on the vacant space until 2028, which prohibits other food retailers from occupying the area.
Residents like Beth Brown from Deloraine, located around 85 kilometers southwest of Brandon, are aware of the empty space but feel it’s easy to overlook. Brown expressed the need for a low-cost grocery store in the area, suggesting a No Frills or any discounted store would be beneficial.
Brandonite Charlie Muller speculated that consumers may indirectly cover the cost of the unused property through grocery prices while Sobeys continues to lease the space. Despite inquiries, no response was received from Sobeys by the time of publication.
The Manitoba government, led by the NDP, has introduced legislation aimed at preventing grocery stores from inhibiting competition by maintaining lease agreements. The Property Controls for Grocery Stores and Supermarkets Act prohibits grocery chains from making deals that restrict similar stores from opening nearby.
Glen Simard, Brandon East MLA and provincial minister for municipal relations, asserted the importance of pressuring grocery stores, including Sobeys in south Brandon, to promote competition and reduce prices. Following the enactment of the legislation, stores had a six-month window to register for property control adjustments. Over 40 companies applied for exemptions, including Walmart, FreshCo, and Sobeys locations.
Loblaws has withdrawn its exemption requests, and Simard mentioned plans to challenge existing agreements and prompt stores to justify the need for maintaining them. Notably, the empty Sobeys location in Brandon remains unaffected by the new legislation due to its pre-existing lease arrangement.
Although Brandon offers several major grocery retailers, including two Sobeys stores, a Safeway, a Superstore, a Walmart, and a Co-op, Councilor Splett emphasized the need for activity in the vacant Sobeys location beyond security checks. Splett emphasized that true success for the south end of Brandon would come with the arrival of a new business in the area.