WATERLOO — A large commercial expansion planned beside The Boardwalk has cleared a significant planning hurdle, potentially bringing a new supermarket, additional retail space and another road connection to Waterloo’s growing west side.
What remains unknown is nearly as interesting as what has been approved.
The City of Waterloo has approved official-plan and zoning changes, along with a draft plan of subdivision, for an expansion of Waterloo Commons—the plaza at the southwest corner of Erb Street West and Ira Needles Boulevard containing PetSmart, Chuck’s Roadhouse and several other businesses.
The applicant is Waterloo Commons JV Inc. The development is connected to the Voisin family, which was also behind The Boardwalk’s development across the Kitchener-Waterloo boundary.
Although the project is frequently described online as an expansion of The Boardwalk, the approved lands are technically part of Waterloo Commons at 651 to 663 Erb Street West. They sit immediately north of The Boardwalk’s main commercial area and form part of the same broader west-side shopping district.
What has been approved
The plan permits approximately 4,905 square metres—or almost 52,800 square feet—of additional commercial floor space west of the existing Waterloo Commons buildings.
Approximately 3,251 square metres, or 35,000 square feet, is intended for a “food store,” according to the city’s planning documents. That is large enough for a conventional supermarket, although smaller than some of the largest full-service grocery stores in the region.
The proposal also includes a new commercial building or block beside the existing plaza, a relocated and consolidated stormwater-management pond, land for a new municipal road and an Erb Street roundabout, a multi-use path, and changes to the boundaries and ownership of some municipal and regional lands.
The development would increase Waterloo Commons from approximately 6,700 square metres of existing commercial space to roughly 11,600 square metres once completed.
City planning staff supported the applications, arguing that the additional stores would serve nearby neighbourhoods and create employment on Waterloo’s west side. Council’s approval establishes the necessary land-use permissions, but it does not amount to a building permit or guarantee that construction will begin immediately.
The subdivision remains subject to numerous technical and legal conditions, including detailed servicing, stormwater, road, utility and subdivision-agreement requirements. No firm construction or opening date has been announced.
The grocery store remains unidentified
The most closely watched part of the development is the proposed 35,000-square-foot food store.
Planning documents repeatedly describe it as a supermarket or food store, and an applicant-commissioned market study concluded there was sufficient demand to support a supermarket of approximately that size. However, none of the publicly available planning materials identifies an operator.
There has been no confirmed announcement from the developer or a grocery company indicating that a lease has been signed.
Online discussions have produced guesses ranging from FreshCo and Food Basics to Real Canadian Superstore and other chains. Those names remain speculation. Planning approval for a food store does not establish which retailer—if any—has committed to occupying it.
A 35,000-square-foot format could accommodate several grocery concepts, including a discount supermarket or a smaller conventional store. Until the property owner or a retailer announces a lease, attaching a banner to the project would be premature.
Waterloo has separately approved planning changes for potential food stores at 388 Phillip Street and 200 Weber Street North. Those projects are unrelated to Waterloo Commons and may add competition for grocery operators considering new Waterloo locations.
The “Boardwalk bypass” is only partly settled
The Waterloo Commons plan also advances a long-discussed road intended to connect Erb Street West with the Thorndale Drive–The Boardwalk roundabout.
Often referred to as the Ira Needles Boulevard bypass or Boardwalk bypass, the route is intended to provide an alternative to the heavily travelled Erb Street and Ira Needles roundabout.
The approved subdivision includes the northern portion of the road, extending south from a proposed new roundabout on Erb Street. The ultimate plan is to continue the route through adjoining properties until it reaches the roundabout near Thorndale Drive.
That distinction is important: approval of Waterloo Commons does not mean the complete connection to The Boardwalk is ready to be built.
Waterloo’s capital plan identifies approximately $6.85 million between 2026 and 2028 for design and construction of the bypass project. The anticipated cost would be divided evenly between the city and developer contributions. Council must still authorize the release of that funding through a future report.
In practical terms, the approval preserves and advances the route, but motorists should not expect a completed shortcut immediately.
What stores are actually new or coming?
Several recent openings and construction projects have contributed to the impression that a much larger Boardwalk expansion is already underway.
Structube opened a store at 300 The Boardwalk in October 2025. Sephora followed with a Boardwalk opening on March 27, 2026. Both are completed openings, not future tenants in the Waterloo Commons expansion.
One business that is publicly confirmed as coming is Modo Yoga Waterloo West. The company says it is preparing to open at 663 Erb Street West, within the existing Waterloo Commons property, in fall 2026.
That address places the studio in the existing plaza rather than proving it will occupy part of the newly approved development.
As of July 18, no reliable public announcement identifies the operator of the proposed supermarket, the tenants for the remaining commercial space, a construction-start date, an opening date for the grocery store or a completion date for the full bypass.
Why the expansion matters
The project represents more than another cluster of stores.
Residential growth west of Fischer-Hallman Road has increased pressure on Ira Needles Boulevard, Erb Street West and the commercial areas around The Boardwalk. A new supermarket could give nearby residents another option without requiring a trip toward Highland Road, University Avenue or Uptown Waterloo.
At the same time, the development would add new vehicle trips to an area already known for congestion. The bypass is intended to redistribute some of that traffic, but its effectiveness will depend on completing the entire connection—not merely the section through Waterloo Commons.
The plan also illustrates the complicated nature of developing the remaining vacant land around The Boardwalk. The project requires the relocation and consolidation of stormwater infrastructure, exchanges involving publicly owned land, a new regional roundabout and coordination with multiple neighbouring properties.
Waterloo’s approval therefore represents a real milestone, but not the final one.
The clearest conclusion is that more retail space and a supermarket are now permitted beside The Boardwalk. The identity of that supermarket, the other businesses joining it and the date customers might walk through their doors remain unanswered.
For now, the grocery-store names circulating online are rumours—not news.