A 1.2  acre parcel of land at the corner of Main and Washburn Streets in Picton is set for development.

In 2009, Shoppers Drug Mart applied to the municipality for the zoning to build a new store on the site. The town was abuzz: one of Canada’s top retailers was coming to downtown Picton. But while the property was cleared of existing buildings in 2010, Shoppers never came.

The site has been empty ever since. But maybe not for much longer. Council’s Planning and Development committee has approved a site-specific amendment to its new Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw to allow for residential apartments to be built above any commercial development at the site.

The site’s owners, Ridgeacre Developments, had asked for the amendment during the County’s Zoning Bylaw review, but the request fell through the cracks. 

Manager of Planning Angela Buonamici explained that Ridgeacre had appealed the missing amendment to the Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw to the OLT, but “has agreed to drop the appeal with reassurance of the change to the Zoning.” 

“This is the right thing to do,” Councillor Phil St. Jean of the bit of zoning housekeeping. “There’s great opportunity on this parcel of land if it has the appropriate zoning. It’s a core commercial area so when it comes to any kind of development, if we have the opportunity to permit housing above the commercial buildings, that’s a good thing.”

Any development will still require Site Plan Control Approval and a Heritage Permit as the lands are located within the Picton Heritage Conservation District.

“Anything new on the property, if we’re looking to control something, there’s a lot of opportunity moving forward to do so. The amendment opens up the ability for the land to be used within the downtown core in the way it was intended,” said Director of the Development Services Cristal Laanstra.

Two residents joined the meeting to ask the municipality and the developer to remember the location is within an established neighbourhood and to respect heritage designations.

“We would like the County and developer to address the…plan to adjust Washburn Street to become a two-way street,” they said, worried about increased traffic. They also asked that the developer “consider established residences on Washburn Street and Main Street and build appropriate privacy fences for parking, garbage disposal, and truck distribution areas.”

Other than making the amendment application, Ridgeacre Developments has not publicly indicated it has plans to build.

Meanwhile, after 15 years, Shoppers Drug Mart is allegedly coming to Picton. 

Sources tell the Gazette a Shoppers Drug Mart is coming to the No Frills site. Preparations are being made for a new store and an expanded parking lot to be open in summer 2026.

Shoppers Drug Mart’s corporate office did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.