Province backs megamall

SASKATOON — The Dundurn International Exhibition Centre has the official blessing of the Saskatchewan government, says Labour Minister Don Morgan.

“We want to make sure it has every opportunity to succeed and we’ll do everything we can,” Morgan said Thursday at a VIP reception at Prairieland Park to publicly launch the venture. “We think this is a wonderful initiative.”

Morgan praised the project for its planned creation of 1,000 jobs and the $30 million in annual tax revenue it’s projected to generate.

“This particular project is being done solely by their own initiative,” he said. “They have not approached the province and asked for money.”

Brightenview Development will break ground on the $130-million project in the fall and it will take 18 to 24 months to complete, CEO Joe Zhou said.

“The train has left the station,” Zhou said. “There is no turning around.”

He expects the mall to link Chinese and other Asian manufacturers to wholesale buyers in North America.

About 125 people attended the reception, including members of the local business community, the reeves and mayors of all surrounding communities, the commander of the Dundurn military base and several Chinese business people.

The company showed a video it intends to use for promotional purposes in China to entice factories to set up a storefront in Saskatchewan.

Zhao said many of the 350 commercial suites have already been “spoken for.”

Brightenview’s director of distribution, Michael O’Bright, said the project will make Dundurn into a global brand.

“When a factory says they’re involved in Dundurn, it’s going to mean quality, reliability and that the products are the state of the art,” he said.

The Dundurn International Exhibition Centre will only sell the best manufactured goods from Asia, and will start with construction and home improvement items, O’Bright said.

“We’re not just taking anyone. We’re going to be very selective with the quality of people we bring back to Canada.”

O’Bright said he is confident corporate buying agents from across North America will flock to Dundurn, since it’s so much easier and cheaper to visit than China.

“Our goal is to make Dundurn a trade show and buyer destination,” he said. “We’re redefining the concept of factory direct.”

Zhao said the project has gained broad support during the past nine months.

“The project would not have made it this far without what we regard as the unanimous support of the Dundurn community, municipality governments, provincial agencies and local businesses,” he said.

Fred Wilson, reeve of the RM of Dundurn, said the initial skepticism some people had about the project is fading.

“I’m feeling more confident all the time now,” he said. “Every day it’s progressing a little further.”

Wilson said the project is creating an atmosphere of excitement in Dundurn and local residents are looking forward to opportunities to work in their hometown instead of travelling to faraway jobs. The social and recreational life of Dundurn will also get a boost, he said, from a new $7.5 million community centre that will be paid for with help from Brightenview.

Brightenview contracted Saskatoon police officers to guard the entrance to the event in case protesters or uninvited guests showed up. None did.