Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson stands in the Manitoba Legislative Building, in Winnipeg on March 7.David Lipnowski/The Canadian Press
A private developer has announced plans to turn a struggling shopping centre in downtown Winnipeg into a large complex of health-care services, housing and public green spaces, with a small number of retail stores.
True North Real Estate Development, the real estate arm of the company that owns the National Hockey League Winnipeg Jets, has unveiled its designs as it continues to work to buy the Portage Place mall.
The mall is currently owned by Vancouver-based Peterson Group, while the surrounding area including a parkade has different owners.
True North president Jim Ludlow says he hopes to have the sale finalized and the revamped buildings completed in three years but adds there is a lot of work to do.
He says the project is aimed more at serving and building the community than it is at retail.
The plans include a tower on one end of the property that would house health services, which Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson says would help improve access for patients and ease demand on other facilities.