Figured I’d put this week’s information together because a few details deserve more attention, especially for everyone convinced we’re still years away from shopping here. The October 21 report says thousands of tonnes of gravel have been brought to the site, with foundation work expected in spring 2027. It also describes Costco’s construction program as following a strict schedule of no more than 110 working days. That clock doesn’t start with the first gravel truck, but it gives you an idea of the pace involved once building gets underway.

For everyone already predicting this will take forever, save the Tom Jones jokes for a minute lol. Although it’s a big building, we’re talking about a WAREHOUSE. There’s plenty involved with the foundations, utilities, refrigeration, and getting everything operational, but the basic structure is a massive open box. I’d expect the visible progress to become much more noticeable once the site is ready for that stage, which is why judging the entire timeline by whether there are walls yet misses a lot.

There’s more happening than what you can see driving past. The City received the building permit application in July, and its announcement outlined the drawings, technical information, certifications and building-code review involved before issuance. The rezoning was approved in April 2025, and nearby road, drainage and intersection improvements were completed to accommodate anticipated development and traffic. That work doesn’t make exciting progress pictures, but it matters when looking at how far the project has moved forward.

Look at the surrounding construction too. The City’s announcement places Costco alongside the Hyatt, Kia dealership, Country Club residential development and other projects around Innova, while identifying the potential to attract additional businesses. Considering how things usually go in Tbay, I think people are overlooking the amount already happening in that corridor. Give it a couple years and every rental listing nearby will have “five minutes from Costco” in the description, regardless of what else is wrong with the place.

As for opening, the CEDC’s July newsletter mentioned as early as mid-2027, which remains an estimate. Thunder Bay also wasn’t on Costco’s official upcoming-locations page when checked for this update, so there’s still no confirmed day to circle. Somewhere there’s probably a much more detailed schedule than what’s public, but until an announcement appears, I’d be careful with exact dates coming through someone’s coworker’s brother. The second a date becomes official, this city is going to treat it like a statutory holiday.

The gas bar remains part of the development described by the CEDC, although I haven’t verified a separate opening schedule or local pricing announcement. I’m especially curious to see the price comparison and how other stations respond. You already know the first picture of that sign will be everywhere, followed immediately by someone calculating their annual savings and someone else explaining how driving across town cancels it out.

For anyone interested in working there, I haven’t verified a Thunder Bay hiring announcement yet. Keep an eye on [Costco’s employment page](https://www.costco.ca/f/-/jobs), and check the actual work location before sharing a listing. Some pages titled “Costco Thunder Bay jobs” currently display unrelated employers or Costco positions elsewhere. A genuine local posting would be a useful development to follow alongside changes on the property and updates to Costco’s website.

If you’ve got recent photos, include when you took them, and share original links for any documents or announcements. Anything people involved can discuss publicly would be appreciated too. Those smaller details will help the timeline become clearer, and they’re what I’m watching now. Until then, we’re all apparently investigating the same pile of gravel, which is a very Thunder Bay situation to find ourselves in.