Bass Pro expanding presence in Canada

Bass Pro Shops is planning to expand its presence in the United States' neighbor to the north.

The Springfield-based outdoor retailer announced this week it is working to build its fifth store in Canada, this time in Kanata, a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, according to a news release.

The planned 120,000-square-foot Outdoor World store would serve as the lead anchor tenant in the Broccolini-Laurentide development. The project would bring more construction activity within the borders of Kanata than the entire city of Ottawa, according to an Ottawa Citizen report.

The Bass Pro store would be located in a reportedly profitable area. The release pointed to a study by the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, which found recreational fishing in Ontario generates more than $2.4 billion annually, with hunting also generating billions.

Bass Pro's new store also would house the nautical-themed Uncle Buck’s Fishbowl and Grill.

Bass Pro currently operates Canadian stores in Moncton, New Brunswick; Vaughan, Ontario; and Rocky View, Alberta. A store in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario, is under development. The company operates 81 stores and Tracker Marine centers in the U.S. and Canada, according to the release.