Costco to open 5 new stores in Ontario

Costco is in the midst of one of its biggest expansions in Ontario in years, with five new warehouses either under construction or moving through the final stages of the planning process.

The new stores are slated for Windsor, Oakville, Halton Hills (serving Milton), Caledon (serving northwest Brampton and surrounding communities) and Wasaga Beach, reflecting the retailer’s continued focus on some of the province’s fastest-growing municipalities.

While excitement has been building in each community, Costco has remained characteristically quiet. The wholesale giant has a longstanding policy of not commenting publicly on new stores until about three months before they open.

Even so, municipal approvals, planning documents and announcements from local officials have painted a clear picture of what’s coming.

The most advanced project is in East Windsor, where construction is already underway on a 158,000-square-foot warehouse and gas bar. The development will include a tire centre, seasonal garden centre and nearly 1,000 parking spaces.

In Halton Region, what has long been one of Milton’s worst-kept secrets is finally becoming reality.

Although the warehouse will technically sit in Halton Hills at Regional Road 25 and 5 Sideroad, it is expected to primarily serve Milton residents, who have spent years asking when the rapidly growing community would finally get a nearby Costco.

Halton Hills council approved the development in June after hearing from developer Rice Group, which said shovels could be in the ground as early as this summer, paving the way for a possible fall 2027 opening.

“This is a good news story for the municipality,” said Michael Rice, CEO of Rice Group.

“While I am not able to say the tenant’s name, I can tell you that the retail warehouse membership club, along with its associated gas bar, is a great addition to any municipality’s business landscape. The high-paying jobs it brings are highly sought after, and residents love having their own local warehouse club.”

Rice later confirmed the retailer was Costco, prompting an outpouring of excitement from Milton residents on social media after years of speculation.

Nearby Oakville is also preparing for its own Costco.

The warehouse will be built on Wyecroft Road near Burloak Drive and the QEW. Final site plan approval has been granted, demolition has begun and construction is expected to lead to a fall 2027 opening.

The site will include more than 1,000 parking spaces, including underground parking, as well as a Costco gas bar.

Further north, Wasaga Beach residents are also counting down to opening day.

Construction began this month on the town’s $50-million Costco warehouse at 345 Lyons Court. The 162,000-square-foot store is expected to create more than 370 jobs and is scheduled to open in November.

“This is a big moment for Wasaga Beach and something we know residents have been waiting for,” Mayor Brian Smith said when the project was announced.

“This council has been focused on attracting major investment that creates jobs, strengthens our economy, and builds a more sustainable tax base.”

The project is one of the largest private-sector investments in the beach town’s history and forms part of a broader push to attract major employers and year-round economic activity.

Meanwhile, another long-awaited Costco is edging closer to reality in Caledon.

The proposed warehouse at the corner of Creditview Road and Mayfield Road, just north of the Brampton border, recently cleared a significant planning hurdle after receiving support from the town’s planning committee.

The development would anchor a 36-acre commercial centre featuring a 167,000-square-foot Costco, gas station, grocery store, restaurants and additional retail space.

The location is expected to serve shoppers from northwest Brampton, Caledon, Halton Hills, Milton and neighbouring communities, many of whom currently drive considerable distances to reach the nearest Costco.

The proposal marks the second attempt to bring Costco to the site after an earlier application was rejected in 2022 over infrastructure concerns.

Although opening dates vary, the five projects underscore Costco’s continued confidence in Ontario’s rapidly growing communities.

For thousands of residents who have spent years asking when a Costco would arrive in their hometowns, the answer is finally beginning to take shape—even if the company itself won’t officially acknowledge the new stores until they’re just months away from opening.