Galeries de la Capitale is adding a wave of new retail tenants as the Quebec City shopping centre strengthens its merchandising mix. The leasing momentum includes a 36,000 square foot Winners opening March 2, alongside confirmed arrivals across fashion, beauty and quick service dining. The activity reflects sustained tenant demand at one of Eastern Canada’s most productive enclosed shopping centres and signals a strong start to the year for the Primaris REIT-owned property.
Among the most anticipated additions is lululemon, which will open a 3,750 square foot store this fall in the heart of the main mall corridor. The athletic apparel brand joins a growing roster of fashion and beauty tenants that reinforce the centre’s positioning as Quebec City’s dominant super regional retail destination.
Additional concepts will broaden the property’s merchandising mix in the months ahead. Kiokii and…, a retailer specializing in Asian inspired beauty and skincare products, is scheduled to open this fall. It will follow the April arrivals of Lovisa, café boutique Chaudron Bavard, and artisan workshop boutique Beau et Bon.
By summer, Boustan will join the quick service dining lineup, introducing its Mediterranean and Lebanese offerings to the centre.
Looking ahead to later in 2026, Les Ailes de la Mode is confirmed to occupy approximately 50,000 square feet, adding another major fashion anchor to the property and further strengthening its apparel category depth.
The wave of openings signals a particularly active start to the year for the shopping centre, with eight new retailers spanning fashion, beauty, accessories, food service and specialty concepts.
Les Ailes de la Mode Expands Footprint with Quebec City Location
Scheduled to open this year, Les Ailes de la Mode will occupy approximately 50,000 square feet at Galeries de la Capitale, marking a step in the Quebec-based retailer’s continued expansion. The fashion banner already operates a handful of locations across Quebec, and another location is set to open at Promenades St. Bruno near Montreal, according to sources.
The Quebec City opening also follows a closely watched legal dispute involving a proposed move into the former Hudson’s Bay space at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto. That arrangement did not proceed after the Ontario Superior Court declined to approve the plan. While the Yorkdale proposal ultimately stalled, the Galeries de la Capitale lease demonstrates that Les Ailes de la Mode’s owners continue to pursue strategic growth opportunities within high-performing regional centres.
March Break Programming to Drive Traffic
The leasing activity at Galeries de la Capitale coincides with a robust March Break activation program. In partnership with Ashton, the centre will host a range of family-oriented activities in the central court, including a mechanical surf ride, creative workshops, face painting, airbrush activities and mascot appearances. Players from the Quebec Remparts hockey team are also scheduled to appear.
On March 2, the opening day of the new Winners store, stylist Mélissa Cauchon will be on site to offer personalized advice and help customers discover their ideal colour palette.
These initiatives are designed to drive traffic during a key seasonal period while reinforcing the property’s role as both a retail and entertainment destination.
A Strategic Asset Within Primaris REIT’s Portfolio
The Galeries de la Capitale expansion is unfolding within the broader strategy of Primaris REIT, which acquired the property on October 1, 2024 from Oxford Properties and organization for $325 million. The transaction was completed on an unencumbered basis and funded through a mix of $170 million in cash and Primaris units.
As Quebec City’s largest shopping centre, Galeries de la Capitale spans approximately 1.3 million square feet and welcomes an estimated 9.5 million visitors annually. The property is home to more than 280 retailers and 35 restaurants. At the time of acquisition, committed occupancy stood at 98.3 percent, with annual sales reported at approximately $350 million.
Sales productivity has remained strong. As of late 2025, same store sales reached $859 per square foot, outperforming many comparable regional malls across Canada.
Entertainment Anchors Regional Draw
A defining feature of the property is its integrated entertainment component. Méga Parc, the indoor amusement park located within the mall, underwent a $52 million renovation in 2019 and features 18 rides, including the Zénith Ferris wheel and the Patinarium indoor skating trail. The property also hosts the only IMAX theatre in Quebec City.
This entertainment offering continues to differentiate the centre within the Primaris portfolio and strengthens its regional trade area.
Redevelopment and Long-Term Intensification
Primaris positions itself as Canada’s only publicly traded REIT focused exclusively on enclosed shopping centres. Since its 2021 spin off from H&R REIT, the company has acquired more than $2.4 billion in assets, including Promenades St Bruno in Montreal, Oshawa Centre in Ontario, Southgate Centre in Edmonton, CF Lime Ridge Mall in Hamilton, Halifax Shopping Centre and Conestoga Mall in Waterloo.
At Galeries de la Capitale, redevelopment opportunities remain significant. A primary focus is the lease up and repositioning of approximately 110,000 square feet of former Sears space. More broadly, Primaris is investing between $175 million and $225 million nationally to redevelop former Hudson’s Bay spaces into modern multi tenant formats, with several openings targeted for mid 2026.
The property’s location at the intersection of Highways 40 and 73, combined with its role as a major regional bus terminal serving more than 400 buses daily, enhances its long term intensification potential. The upcoming Quebec City Tramway project is expected to further strengthen accessibility and support future mixed use development on the 91 acre site.
Primaris might position Les Galeries de la Capitale as “Quebec City’s dominant super regional retail destination,” but I’d be interested to know its performance relative to the retail vortex formed by Place Sainte Foy, Place de la Cité and the adjacent Laurier Quebec. I’m not surprised Les Galeries de la Capitale, located at the intersection of highways 40 and 740, would welcome Les Ailes de la Mode, unlike the Oxford-run Yorkdale which rejected that retailer as a threat to its own positioning as a luxury destination.