Why are we so obsessed with Costco?

Sam Maciag · CBC News

· Posted: May 17, 2025 7:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Regina ma Stephanie Wilkinson stops by Costco connected the acold eastbound broadside of Regina astatine slightest 3 times a week. She lives nearby, truthful it's convenient.

What started arsenic elemental market trips for the scenery architectural technologist has grown into a full-blown online hobby.

"I felt a consciousness of assemblage implicit a fewer years with the Facebook groups that started due to the fact that of the pandemic and everything. Everyone wanted conscionable a abstraction to escape, I think, and that became Costco," Wilkinson told big Sam Maciag connected the This is Saskatchewan podcast. "I joined these groups and I started posting much and conscionable helping others and it was amazing."

Wilkinson is 1 of the moderators of the Regina Saskatchewan Costco Lovers instrumentality page, which boasts 50,000 members and is 1 of astatine slightest 8 specified instrumentality pages successful the province. She regularly posts caller products and reviews, and adjacent helps the occasional alien by picking up items for them.

"I conscionable bash it for amusive connected my ain dime," she said.

Saskatoon has 2 Costco locations. Efforts to get a 2nd successful Regina person made caller headlines aft Regina metropolis assembly voted to supply Costco with a $6.78-million incentive.

Costco had primitively planned to physique successful the city's Westerra neighbourhood without the incentive, but changed its caput aft being courted by the provincially owned Global Transportation Hub westbound of the city.

Last week, assembly won Costco backmost implicit by voting to supply the inducement done the Land Development Reserve. It expects to recoup the wealth done spot taxes wrong 7 years.

"It volition supply maturation for that area," Mayor Chad Bachynski told the Morning Edition host Adam Hunter aft the assembly vote, admitting that the circumstances were unfortunate.

"It'll supply different commercialized entities to make astir that anchor tenant and yet supply determination successful the realm of fractional a cardinal a twelvemonth successful taxation gross from Costco."

WATCH | CBC Saskatchewan's governmental sheet discusses the Costco campaign:

The section concern assemblage doesn't blasted Costco — conscionable the city.

"There's been nary due policies astatine the metropolis level … astir really incentivizing concern and development," said Mark Heise, president and CEO of Rebellion Brewing.

"You request policies, not treating everything arsenic a one-off."

Heise sells Rebellion brew successful each 3 Saskatchewan Costco liquor stores and said it makes up for 10 to 15 per cent of his business.

Heise expressed vexation with the metropolis arsenic operation on Dewdney Avenue continues for a 2nd year, blocking nonstop entree to his taproom. He clarified that Rebellion has a bully moving narration with the city, but officials "certainly haven't provided $7 cardinal successful incentives."

Heise said he's heard disapproval from immoderate section retailers who've seen his merchandise connected Costco shelves for cheaper than they tin charge. Heise said helium isn't cutting Costco a amended woody than immoderate different relationship — Costco conscionable isn't marking it up arsenic much.

"I've happily shown to different retailers, this is what I've sold to them for, I'm not ripping you off," Heise said.

Wilkinson said that debased markup keeps her coming back.

"I cognize for myself and my household we're connected a budget, arsenic everyone other is," she said.

"I look astatine the aforesaid point astatine a mean market store and it's fractional the size, but the aforesaid price. So I'm going to get it from Costco."

This communicative is from the This is Saskatchewan podcast — your transportation to the stories Saskatchewan is talking about. Every week, we cover section issues that matter. Hear the voices that are creating change, shaping argumentation and fuelling creativity successful Saskatchewan.

Tune into This is Saskatchewan every Wednesday and Friday connected CBC Listen oregon wherever you get your podcasts.