Metro promoted as retail mecca
Delegates to retail, franchise conventions use statistics to lure in more business
Hey retailers and franchise owners - come on down to Metro Moncton and set up shop.
That's the message behind a new colourful brochure developed by Enterprise Greater Moncton that is being used as a sales tool at retail and franchise conferences this spring. The brochure was distributed during a recent meeting of the Franchise Association of Canada and will be part of the delegates' welcome kit at the upcoming convention of the Retail Council of Canada.
Metro Moncton is already known as a retail mecca to people all over New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Just look at the licence plates in the mall parking lots on any weekend and you can see the people come from far and wide to shop here.
But as Metro Moncton developers work to create even more space for retailers, economic development officers have been hitting the trade shows and conventions to convince business operators to come on down and set up shop.
The brochure includes a colour map showing the major retail centres in Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview and the "emerging retail nodes" that are expected to grow in coming years. It also includes colourful graphics showing statistics like forecasted retail sales growth, catchment area, forecasted population growth -- all the hot buttons to catch the eye of big business operators looking for places to expand their reach.
Eric Pelletier, manager of Investment Attraction and Community Relations for Enterprise Greater Moncton, said the delegation was well-received by the franchise association and several retailers are now looking at setting up shop here.
"A huge part of what we are doing is education and building relationships," Pelletier said. "A lot of these people don't know where New Brunswick is."
The brochure includes statistics on Metro Moncton's catchment area, forecasted population growth, office space, retail sales, location and other information important to retailers and franchise operators. Metro Moncton surpasses Halifax, Fredericton, Charlottetown and other Atlantic Canadian centres in those categories, which helps in the sales pitch.
"We always knew we had good news here, but this just confirms it."
Pelletier says more retailers will create jobs and act as a magnet for even more development. He said franchises offer local people the opportunity to go into business for themselves and the incentive for people who moved away from Moncton years ago to return. And he doubts that new businesses would hurt existing ones.
"We're really trying to focus on things that won't compete with what we already have here."
Brenda Orchard, director of economic development for the Town of Riverview, is happy that the mainly residential community is now on the radar for franchise association members. She said two new retailers are expected to begin construction in Findlay Park this spring and negotiations with property owners are continuing to create more space along Gunningsville Boulevard to open up land for development. And tenders will soon be awarded for renovations to the old fire station to begin the Fundy Gateway project, opening up more space for retailers.
The next big project for Riverview will be land acquisition south of Gunningsville Boulevard and construction of the trunk sewer to open up even more land. But that process could take two or three years.
"You can't have commercial development with porta-potties."
The trunk sewer will make way for construction of the new Bridgedale Boulevard, which will connect Gunningsville Boulevard to Hillsborough Road and create a retail space on the tourist route to Albert County and Fundy National Park.
Other upcoming projects in Riverview include the rebuilding of Vito's Restaurant, the Shannex seniors complex and a new condominium/apartment complex that will have the first underground parking garage in Riverview.
Orchard said Riverview is trying to convince both Wal-Mart and Canadian Tire to consider the town as a spot for another location. Both well-known chains already have locations in Dieppe and Moncton.
"We want to let them know how much we want it to come here."
She said the new bridge and Gunningsville Boulevard have opened up Riverview and linked it by road with the other retail centres of Champlain Place and Trinity Drive. However, she said it has been tough to sell Riverview as a business destination to big chains because it is so close, yet so separate from the other retail centres.
"We need people to change their habits and come across the bridge."
A wellness centre, hotel and arena in the southern part of Riverview are all on the long-range plan for Riverview and would likely help to draw in more tourists and visitors to the town.
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