Canadian Tire could be the latest store to call the retail site at the bottom of Two Mile Hill home.

Store owner Daniel Charlebois said today it may relocate to the vacant property between the Wal-Mart store and Two Mile Hill. The new store would be about 100,000 square feet two to three times the size of the current Ogilvie Street at Fourth Avenue location.

He stressed there are still many hurdles to overcome before the project can go ahead.

The first challenge was passed recently when approval came from the corporation to spend money on a new store for Whitehorse.

'They're still in negotiations,' Charlebois said of Canadian Tire officials on the land deal, which is another 'hurdle' to overcome.

While Charlebois owns the local business, it is the national corporation that makes decisions on the location and details on the structure.

'It's still really early,' Charlebois said.

If a land deal can be met and all hurdles can be dealt with, the new store would likely be built next spring, with an opening expected in the fall of 2006.

Approximately 30 to 40 new staff would be hired to complement the 80 to 100 workers at the store now.

The current staff were told of the potential new store earlier this week.

'They had big smiles on their faces,' Charlebois said.

Both he and the staff want to see a new store open, he said, noting the challenge now being faced with the amount and variety of products they're able to showcase on store shelves.

He said the Two Mile Hill property is the closest site they could get to downtown and still have enough land to build the sprawling store.

The current property doesn't allow room for expansion. Although the store would close with the opening of a new store, Charlebois said he understands the corporation has heard from a few potential buyers.

'It would not remain vacant,' he said.

For now, negotiations will continue on the land deal as the company moves ahead with a potential relocation.

'There are many procedures that have to be done,' Charlebois stated.