Bramalea City Centre is moving through a significant period of change as new retailers, a renovated food court and continued investment reshape one of Canada’s largest enclosed shopping centres.
Over the past year, the Brampton property has completed a multimillion-dollar renovation of its South Food Court and welcomed brands including UNIQLO, Poulet Rouge and Craig’s Cookies. Walmart Canada, Victoria’s Secret and Kiokii are among the retailers announced for the centre, while management continues working on plans for the former Hudson’s Bay space.
The activity comes as Morguard, which manages and co-owns Bramalea City Centre, works to strengthen the property’s position within a young and growing market while expanding its role as a shopping destination, workplace and community gathering place.
Andrew Butler, general manager of Bramalea City Centre, said the recent announcements reflect an effort to align the property with the people who live around it.
“We have a lot of families and a lot of young people,” Butler told Retail Insider. “Walmart’s offerings align well with that demographic.”
Management has been adjusting the centre’s fashion and food mix, investing in digital services and building systems, and examining opportunities for entertainment and residential development over the longer term.
Walmart to Become a Major New Anchor
Walmart Canada announced earlier in July that it plans to open an approximately 140,000-square-foot Supercentre at Bramalea City Centre in 2027.
As previously reported by Retail Insider, the store will carry a full grocery assortment and general merchandise, along with a pharmacy and pickup and delivery services. It will become Walmart’s sixth Supercentre in Brampton.
The City of Brampton has approved a site-plan application for Walmart to occupy the former Decathlon space. The plans include exterior changes, new signage, additional online pickup spaces and a reconfiguration of the parking area near the store.
Butler described securing Walmart as a major win for the centre.
“It fills a big space for us in one of the former anchor spaces for the property,” he said. “It’s going to be a two-level store, about 140,000 square feet.”
He said the grocery component will increase the centre’s relevance for everyday shopping, particularly amid continued pressure on family budgets and food costs.
“I think it’s a big win for us and a big win for our shoppers,” Butler said.
The broader anchor area has experienced several transformations over the decades. Butler traced its history through Eaton’s, Zellers, Target and Saks Off 5TH, reflecting the repeated evolution of large department-store and big-box spaces within Canadian shopping centres.
Walmart will replace Decathlon, Activate and Designer Depot, which occupied portions of the former Target premises.
Former Hudson’s Bay Space Presents Another Opportunity
While Walmart resolves one major space, Bramalea City Centre is also developing a plan for the former Hudson’s Bay location.
Hudson’s Bay closed its remaining department stores in June 2025, leaving shopping-centre owners across Canada to determine new uses for some of their largest spaces.
Butler said BCC management is actively considering the future of the Brampton location and hopes to share further details closer to the end of 2026.
“It’s unfortunate what happened with the Bay, but that’s the nature of retail,” he said. “You’ve got to pivot, and we’ve got a plan to pivot.”
He did not disclose what uses are being considered, but said the vacancy has opened an opportunity for the property.
The eventual plan could become one of the most consequential parts of BCC’s next phase. Former department-store spaces across Canada are being divided among multiple tenants, converted to entertainment and service uses, or incorporated into larger redevelopment plans.
Recognizable Brands and Value Drive Leasing
Bramalea City Centre’s recent leasing activity also includes fashion and specialty retailers selected to reflect the centre’s customer base.
UNIQLO opened at the property following the relocation of Hollister. Butler said the arrangement has worked well for both retailers.
“UNIQLO is bringing out big numbers. Hollister is really doing great figures,” he said.
Gap Factory opened at the centre last year. Butler said the accessible positioning and broad brand recognition of Gap Factory and UNIQLO align with the surrounding market.
“It’s brand recognition that is value priced, so it’s really worked out well,” he said.
Victoria’s Secret and Kiokii are among the announced additions expected to broaden the centre’s fashion and specialty mix further.
Butler said management has focused on creating a property capable of serving a wide range of customers.
“I think we’ve really focused on developing a mall that is for all,” he said.
Bramalea City Centre spans approximately 1.5 million square feet and has more than 300 stores and services.
South Food Court Responds to Local Demand
Food has become another important part of BCC’s strategy.
The centre completed its multimillion-dollar South Food Court renovation earlier this year. The redesigned area spans 31,701 square feet and was repositioned closer to Centre Court, improving visibility and its connection with the mall’s main corridor.
The renovation added approximately 10 per cent more seating, improved circulation and sightlines, and introduced charging connections and redesigned waste and recycling stations.
Recent food additions include Poulet Rouge, Craig’s Cookies and Szechuan Express. Butler also pointed to Indian food operators at the centre as examples of concepts that have generated the sales required to operate in a large regional shopping centre.
“We have tailored some of the uses in the food court to match our demographics,” he said.
Established operators including KFC and Popeyes have also remained strong performers, he added.
Butler said customer spending following the renovation indicates that visitors are responding to the updated environment and food selection.
“People vote with their dollars,” he said. “Since the renovation, that’s been validated. I think we’ve seen that we’re providing what the market wants.”
The investment reflects the growing importance of food and beverage within shopping centres, where dining areas also function as informal meeting places and social spaces.
For Bramalea City Centre, the tenant mix provides a direct way to respond to the cultural composition of the surrounding community.
A Community Hub for Brampton
Bramalea City Centre has evolved substantially since it opened in 1971 during the early growth of the planned Bramalea community.
What began as a traditional enclosed mall now serves several functions, Butler said.
“I think we’re really now what I would call a multifaceted community hub,” he said. “It serves retail, employment. It’s a gathering place for people.”
He said shopping centres can be particularly important for newcomers, providing a public setting where people can observe everyday interactions and gradually become familiar with the surrounding community.
That role is reflected in programming held at the property throughout the year.
During the FIFA World Cup, BCC partnered with TSN to create a viewing lounge in one of the mall’s common areas. Butler said the space was regularly filled with spectators supporting different national teams.
“Given the diversity of our market, you’ve got a lot of people rooting for a lot of different teams,” he said.
The lounge became another example of the centre functioning as a gathering place for people from across the community.
BCC has also created seasonal digital experiences, including an elevator-style attraction that simulated a journey to Santa’s village. The equipment was later repurposed for a Halloween experience called the Boo Elevator.
The attractions were free, with visitors able to make voluntary donations to the food bank. Butler said those donations were combined with a portion of the proceeds from Santa photography, resulting in a contribution of approximately $10,000 to a Brampton food bank.
The centre plans to bring the Halloween and Christmas experiences back in 2026.
Another initiative converted a vacant retail unit into a temporary prom shop. Donated dresses and suits were distributed free of charge to students through a program operated with Peel Regional Police.
Butler said the project gave young people who might otherwise have faced cost barriers an opportunity to participate in prom. He described it as the centre initiative that made him most proud during the year.
Digital Tools Help Shoppers Find Products
Bramalea City Centre is also using digital technology to connect customers with merchandise available inside the mall.
Butler highlighted The Shop List, a platform that allows shoppers to search for products and receive recommendations connected with retailers at the centre.
He said the platform recorded more than 250,000 visits during 2025. According to figures supplied by BCC, it potentially influenced approximately $5 million in purchases, with projected revenue of about $1.2 million.
The service is intended to help customers find products, identify where they are available within the centre and move toward completing a transaction.
Butler described it as another way of using technology to make the shopping process easier.
The initiative reflects a broader effort among mall owners to make products across individual stores easier to discover within large multi-tenant properties.
Investment Extends Behind the Storefronts
Some of BCC’s current investment is less visible to shoppers.
Butler said the centre is completing a significant upgrade to its building-control system as part of an ongoing capital plan. The project is intended to improve comfort within the mall while helping reduce the property’s carbon footprint.
He said the investment reflects the ownership group’s commitment to responsible business practices and continued reinvestment in the asset.
The systems work adds another layer to the changes taking place through leasing, renovations and community programming.
“We’ve had the good fortune of having co-owners that have been prepared to make an investment in the asset,” Butler said. “That investment keeps us relevant with the customers, which you have to do to survive.”
Residential and Entertainment Uses Could Shape the Future
Bramalea City Centre’s longer-term evolution could include entertainment and residential development.
Butler said fashion, dining and services remain immediate priorities. Entertainment is another category management would like to add, although no specific operator has been announced.
He also pointed to the site’s capacity to accommodate greater density.
“We have the opportunity to add a residential component to the site,” Butler said, emphasizing that nothing had been confirmed. “We want to be ultimately a mixed-use, highly concentrated urban environment.”
City planning records show that residential redevelopment has advanced beyond an early concept in one area of the property.
A substantially complete site-plan application for 25 Peel Centre Drive proposes demolishing the former Sears portion of the mall and developing four rental apartment buildings, a commercial building and an urban plaza. The plan includes 1,000 residential units, approximately 650 square metres of new commercial space and a two-level underground parking structure.
An earlier pre-consultation submission described buildings of nine, 22, 27 and 32 storeys, although the municipal record notes that those project statistics were approximate.
The proposal supports Butler’s description of a possible mixed-use future, although no construction schedule was provided during the interview.
Positioned for Continued Growth
Butler said BCC’s established regional position and continued growth across Brampton are helping attract retailer attention.
The centre is located near Highway 410 and is served by the adjacent Bramalea Terminal and Brampton Transit’s Züm network. Butler said those connections help employees and shoppers reach the property.
He also pointed to increasing residential density along the Queen Street corridor and across the wider market.
Retailers, he said, tend to favour proven shopping centres surrounded by household growth and density.
BCC combines fashion, traditional and specialty retail, dining and services, giving retailers access to customers visiting the property for a wide range of purposes.
The centre’s next phase will depend partly on how management resolves the former Hudson’s Bay space and advances its entertainment and mixed-use plans.
For now, BCC is building momentum through major anchor leasing, recognizable value-oriented retailers, food investment, community programming and continued capital spending.
“We’re the biggest shopping centre in Brampton, we’re one of the largest in the country,” Butler said. “The property is well positioned for the future.”
With Walmart expected to arrive in 2027 and further announcements anticipated later this year, the next stage of Bramalea City Centre’s evolution is taking shape.
