Mountain Equipment Co-op says it still plans to open its Saskatoon store in Midtown Plaza, but not until late 2021.

The proposed 20,000-foot store, first announced in late 2018, was to have been completed this year.

MEC, a well-known outdoors outfitter, reported an $11.5-million net loss on $462.4 million in sales in 2018-19, and its retail locations across Canada were temporarily shuttered earlier this year because of the pandemic.

Those 22 stores are now slowly starting to reopen on a limited basis across the country, though, and the planned Saskatoon store will go ahead, the co-op said.

"We will continue to follow the advice and guidance of local health authorities as we move forward in confirming a design partner and begin developing a compelling concept for our Saskatoon MEC location," the company said in a statement Friday.

Other stores in Midtown Plaza began reopening this week.