Shopping is Not Just a Cold Weather Sport

January 2015

Canadians love their malls. Parking lots are packed with cars and retail spaces are filled.

Yet pundits have been saying malls are on the decline.

In the US, where malls have been shrinking for about ten years, large anchor stores and malls seem to be losing out to ecommerce. High end department stores have given way to Walmart, Target and other discounters. Some malls have tried reinventing themselves with limited success. Depending on where you go, malls may include a police station, library or even residences. Yet others are trying to serve as community centres. Some malls, unable to attract retail tenants, are being turned into office space.

In Canada there are no visible indications that the popularity of malls is on the decline.

The largest mall in Canada, and second largest in the world, is West Edmonton Mall. A city under a roof, this mall has 800+ retail stores plus an amusement park, waterpark, miniature golf course, underground aquarium and hotel.

Closer to home we have Toronto Eaton Centre, Canada’s largest urban mall with over 230 retailers, restaurants and services.

Among the dozens of larger malls throughout the GTA are Yorkdale, Fairview Mall, Scarborough Town Centre, Sherway Gardens and Centerpoint Mall.

There are also many smaller malls along the subway line such as Yonge Eglinton Centre, Hazelton Lanes, Manulife Centre, Empress Walk and Sheppard Centre.

Then there is PATH; the underground shopping complex below Downtown Toronto. It contains over 28 kilometers of pathways and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as being the world’s largest underground shopping complex with over 1,200 stores.

A little further out are regional malls such as Vaughan Mills, Hillcrest and Square One.

Click here for a list of most major and regional malls and shopping centres in the GTA.