BPS, Cabela's is not coming to Kingston, the population here is way too small and they don't need to build here as long as we buy online and drive 2 hours to shop, why would they spend the $ in such a small market? In the Canadian market big box stores that come from the States have a distinct criteria to follow and a lot of it is based on market share in a certain area vs. population. Toronto can easily support multiple big box speciality stores as well the local mom and pop outfits too.
Now SAIL could probably make it work, based on their outdoors section with all the camping, canoeing etc. in this area they would probably be able fill a niche in multiple area's. But I wouldn't hold my breath.
In some locales in the State's, they tailor the store size to reflect the market size, that could work here too and that would be pretty cool. Harrisburg PA for example has a BPS that is not as big as some other locations, while Cabela's in Hamburg PA is huge. Cabela's in Scarborough Maine though is a lot smaller than other stores, due to the smaller population base.
At the end of the day, I will support the local guy whenever I can like Pro Advantage, Quinte Outdoor Sports, Pro Tackle and even with a bit of a drive, Paddletales and Gagnon's... Having said that I still shop at the big box stores for certain things, usually only for a sale item or something I need asap and just can't get anywhere else.
It sure would be nice to have the luxury of a big box store in our backyard, but I'm not holding my breath
Just my 2 cents...