Retail Strategy

What makes a vibrant and exciting commercial district? What kind of retail is future proof? What roles do businesses, stakeholders, the City and local shoppers play in attracting and growing successful, community-oriented retail streets?

Work continues on a city-wide Retail Strategy, to identify how to best support the sustainability of New Westminster’s retail sector now, as businesses recover from the pandemic, and over the long-term, as the community continues to evolve and grow.

What is Retail?

Retail isn’t only brick and mortar shops that sell goods; a vibrant commercial district is made up of many businesses, including professional services such as accountants; personal services like tailors; non-profit organizations; and others in addition to goods sellers. Overall, the key is finding balance to ensure success for the neighbourhood and broader community.

Current Work

Survey for Downtown Retailers - January 2023 

We are currently collecting input from the Downtown retail business community. The input will be used to inform the recommendations and actions.

Next Steps

Staff presented a summary of the Phase 1 findings to Council in April 2022. The Phase 1 Summary Report outlines the findings from the first phase of research, data collection and analysis, and community engagement. This Phase 1 Summary Report highlights supply and demand, real and perceived barriers and opportunities within the retail environment, based on all information received through the engagement and data collection. This will set the stage for the Strategy Recommendations and Options, which will be developed in Phase 2 (the draft Strategy).

We anticipate the draft Strategy to be ready in Q2 2023.