Sports Experts at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Sports Experts
Sports Experts is set to expand its footprint in Quebec City after securing the former Saks OFF 5TH location at Place Ste-Foy, one of the city’s most prominent fashion-oriented shopping centres. The move will see the Quebec-based sporting goods banner relocate its existing Place Ste-Foy store into the approximately 33,000 square foot former off-price anchor, marking a major investment in both scale and customer experience ahead of a planned April 1, 2026 opening.
The expansion follows the spring 2025 closure of Saks OFF 5TH at Place Ste-Foy, which shuttered as part of Hudson’s Bay Company’s court-supervised liquidation. With the space now committed to Sports Experts, the transition reflects a broader shift in Canadian retail leasing, where experiential and category-dominant operators are increasingly backfilling large-format spaces vacated by struggling department store and fashion banners.
According to a LinkedIn message shared by Groupe Boucher, the largest franchisee of Sports Experts, construction on the new store will begin in the coming weeks. The project involves relocating the existing Sports Experts Place Ste-Foy location into the former Saks OFF 5TH unit, situated near the Metro grocery anchor within the mall.
The new store will be more than 50 percent larger than the current location, allowing for a substantially expanded assortment and a more modernized layout. Groupe Boucher has indicated that the additional space will enable the store to offer all categories of sports equipment, along with a full range of junior apparel, footwear, and gear, strengthening its appeal to families and multi-sport households.
While construction proceeds, Sports Experts will continue operating its current Place Ste-Foy store, with a major closing sale scheduled to run from January 7 through March 29, 2026. This clearance period will precede the official opening of the new Sports Experts and Atmosphere co-branded location on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
Sports Experts at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Sports Experts
Replacing a Departed Fashion Anchor
The former Saks OFF 5TH space represents a significant anchor position within Place Ste-Foy. The store opened on April 6, 2017 as the first Saks OFF 5TH location in Quebec, occupying roughly 33,000 square feet and serving as a key off-price fashion draw alongside anchors such as Simons, Signature Maurice Tanguay, Metro, and Archambault.
At its peak, Saks OFF 5TH operated 18 locations across Canada following its 2016 to 2018 expansion phase. However, performance challenges and network rationalization had already reduced the chain to 13 stores by 2020. In March 2025, Hudson’s Bay Company ULC filed for protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, citing sustained financial pressures, declining traffic, and intensifying competition from e-commerce and value-oriented retailers.
After pursuing a restructuring, Hudson’s Bay pivoted to a full liquidation, resulting in the closure of all Canadian Hudson’s Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Saks OFF 5TH stores. The Place Ste-Foy location closed in the spring of 2025, leaving a prominent vacancy in one of Quebec City’s most tightly held retail centres.
Sports Experts at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Sports Experts
Place Ste-Foy’s Strategic Importance
Place Ste-Foy occupies a unique position in the Quebec City retail landscape. Located on Laurier Boulevard in the Sainte-Foy district, adjacent to Université Laval and near Laurier Québec and Place de la Cité, the mall is widely regarded as the city’s premier fashion destination. The enclosed centre spans approximately 590,000 square feet and houses about 135 stores, many of which are not duplicated elsewhere in the market.
Owned by Ivanhoé Cambridge and managed by JLL, Place Ste-Foy has historically attracted high-end and fashion-forward tenants, including La Maison Simons, Birks, Apple, Zara, Lacoste, Lululemon, Michael Kors, Uniqlo, Mango, Arc’teryx, Sephora, and a range of local and European brands. Its tenant mix and ongoing capital investments, including recent infrastructure and parking enhancements, underscore its positioning as a premium suburban shopping environment.
Sports Experts at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Sports Experts
Sports Experts and Its Quebec Roots
Founded in 1967 by eight independent Quebec sporting goods merchants, Sports Experts has long been a cornerstone of the province’s retail landscape. The banner was originally created to pool purchasing power under a shared identity, allowing locally owned businesses to compete more effectively at scale while maintaining strong regional relevance.
After being acquired by Provigo in 1981, Sports Experts was sold in 1994 to The Forzani Group, a Calgary-based national sporting goods retailer. In 2011, Canadian Tire Corporation completed the friendly acquisition of Forzani Group, bringing Sports Experts into its FGL Sports division, which also includes banners such as Sport Chek, Atmosphere, and several specialty concepts.
A central driver of the banner’s growth in Quebec has been Groupe Boucher, a leading Quebec-based retailer specializing in sporting goods, apparel, and footwear. Groupe Boucher operates as the largest franchisee of FGL Sports, a division of Canadian Tire, and primarily runs stores under the Sports Experts, Atmosphère, and L’Entrepôt du Hockey banners. Headquartered in Quebec City, the family-owned company has played a pivotal role in scaling and modernizing the Sports Experts network across the province.
Today, Sports Experts operates more than 125 stores under the Sports Experts and Atmosphere umbrella, with the network heavily concentrated in Quebec and complemented by select locations in other provinces.
Sports Experts at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Sports Experts
A quiet but consequential shift is underway in consumer behaviour, and its effects are rippling across the retail landscape. According to the newly released Trend Report 2026 from Shikatani Lacroix Design, Gen Z consumers are increasingly opting out of traditional life milestones that once shaped predictable retail demand. Choices around marriage, home ownership, parenthood, and even driving are being delayed or abandoned altogether, creating structural changes in how and where spending occurs.
For Canadian retailers, this shift is not a short-term generational phase. It represents a fundamental reordering of priorities that is altering category performance, product design, and long-term planning assumptions. The Gen Z retail trends emerging from this change are already visible across multiple sectors.
For decades, retail growth models were closely tied to life stages. Marriage drove spending on apparel and home goods. Home ownership fueled furniture, appliances, and renovation categories. Parenthood shaped grocery baskets, vehicle purchases, and long-term brand loyalty.
The report highlights how Gen Z is stepping away from these milestones, sometimes by choice and sometimes due to economic constraint. Rising housing costs, financial insecurity, and shifting cultural norms are pushing younger consumers to redefine fulfillment around personal stability and lifestyle flexibility rather than traditional timelines.
As a result, the cadence of large, life event driven purchases is slowing, forcing retailers to rethink how demand is generated and sustained.
Smaller Households Are Reshaping Product Demand
One of the most immediate retail impacts of this shift is the rise of smaller households. With more Gen Z consumers living with parents, roommates, or alone, demand is moving away from family sized formats and toward more compact, personalized offerings.
The report notes growing relevance for smaller appliances, portioned packaging, and subscription based services designed for individual use. This evolution affects grocery, home, beauty, and personal care categories, where oversized formats increasingly feel misaligned with lived reality.
Retailers that continue to design assortments around traditional household assumptions risk losing relevance with a generation that values flexibility and efficiency over accumulation.
While Gen Z may be opting out of certain milestones, the report emphasizes that this does not equate to disengagement from consumption. Instead, discretionary spending is being redirected.
With fewer expenses tied to children, mortgages, and long-term commitments, many younger consumers are allocating more spending toward experiences, dining, pet care, hobbies, and self focused lifestyle categories. These choices reflect a redefinition of value, where enjoyment, mental health, and identity carry more weight than ownership.
For retailers, this creates opportunities in categories that support personalization, convenience, and everyday quality of life, rather than long term accumulation.
Financial Services and Retail Intersect in New Ways
The opting out trend also has implications beyond traditional retail categories. Banks, insurers, and service oriented retailers are under pressure to adapt offerings designed for non traditional life paths.
The report points to growing demand for financial products that address single income households, flexible retirement planning, and coverage models that do not assume marriage or children. Retailers offering extended services, subscriptions, or financing must align with these evolving realities to remain relevant.
Digital Detox and New Definitions of Fulfillment
The report links Gen Z’s opting out behaviour to a broader reassessment of fulfillment. Increased awareness of mental health, skepticism toward social media, and interest in digital detox are influencing how younger consumers engage with brands.
Retail experiences that emphasize authenticity, quality, and meaningful engagement are gaining traction, while those built on constant stimulation or aspirational pressure risk alienation. This shift reinforces the importance of thoughtful brand presence, both online and in store.
What This Means for Canadian Retailers
The Gen Z retail trends outlined in the report challenge long held assumptions about growth and loyalty. Retailers can no longer rely on life stage progression to drive predictable demand. Instead, success depends on understanding a generation that prioritizes autonomy, flexibility, and lived experience over traditional markers of success.
In 2026, retailers that adapt assortments, messaging, and formats to reflect these realities will be better positioned to engage Gen Z consumers on their own terms. Those that cling to outdated models risk mistaking structural change for temporary disruption, and missing the opportunity to align with a generation that is quietly redefining the consumer economy.
London Drugs and the Woodward's redevelopment in Vancouver. Photo: Henriquez Partners Architects
London Drugs has announced that it will close its long-standing store in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside on February 1, marking the end of a 17-year presence in the Woodward’s Building. The decision removes a major retail and pharmacy anchor from one of the city’s most socially and economically complex neighbourhoods and raises renewed questions about the long-term viability of large-format retail in the area.
The pharmacy and general merchandise location, which opened in 2009 as part of the Woodward’s redevelopment, has operated at a sustained loss for much of its tenure. According to the company, ongoing safety concerns, repeated incidents involving staff, and chronic financial underperformance ultimately made continued operations untenable. The London Drugs Woodward’s closure will also leave uncertainty around the broader retail future of the historic mixed-use development.
A Longstanding Anchor at Woodward’s
The Woodward’s Building occupies a prominent place in Vancouver’s urban history. Once home to a flagship department store, the site was redeveloped in the late 2000s into a large-scale mixed-use project combining residential towers, institutional space, and ground-level retail. London Drugs was positioned as a cornerstone tenant when the redevelopment opened in 2009, with the expectation that its presence would help stabilize the retail environment and provide essential services to both residents and workers.
Located at the corner of Hastings and Abbott streets, the store offered a full-service pharmacy alongside electronics, health and beauty products, photo services, and household essentials. Its role extended beyond retail, serving as a critical access point for prescription services in a neighbourhood with limited healthcare infrastructure.
Despite those intentions, the store struggled to achieve financial sustainability. Over the course of its operation, London Drugs absorbed losses that exceeded $10 million, making the location one of the weakest performers in its network.
London Drugs on Hastings Street (Woodward’s) in Vancouver. Photo: Apple Maps screen shot
Safety and Operational Challenges
Safety concerns emerged as a defining issue at the Woodward’s location. Over many years, staff were subjected to repeated incidents of verbal harassment and physical violence, even as the company invested heavily in security measures. While London Drugs worked with local authorities and implemented additional safeguards, the day-to-day environment remained difficult for employees.
Company leadership acknowledged that conditions had improved in recent months following targeted policing initiatives in the Downtown Eastside. However, those improvements came after years of strain, and they were not sufficient to reverse the store’s long-term challenges. Customer traffic remained inconsistent, operating costs continued to rise, and the store never approached a sustainable break-even point.
The decision to close was finalized as the store’s lease approached expiration, prompting a broader review of whether remaining at the site could be justified from a business and employee safety perspective.
Impact on Employees and Customers
London Drugs has stated that it will work to minimize disruption for staff affected by the closure. Employees at the Woodward’s store have been offered opportunities to transfer to other London Drugs locations in the Vancouver area or to explore alternative roles within the company. The retailer expressed appreciation for the commitment shown by the store’s team over many years of challenging conditions.
For customers, particularly those relying on the pharmacy, London Drugs says it has committed to facilitating prescription transfers to nearby locations or to pharmacies of the customer’s choosing. While this ensures continuity of care, the loss of an easily accessible pharmacy represents a significant gap for residents of the Downtown Eastside.
Woodward’s development in Vancouver. Photo: Kornfeld LLP
Broader Questions for the Woodward’s Development
The London Drugs Woodward’s closure also raises questions about the future of the retail component within the development itself. With London Drugs exiting, attention has turned to the status of other major tenants, including the Nester’s Market grocery store. While no decisions regarding Nester’s have been announced, the departure of such a large anchor inevitably alters the retail dynamics of the site.
The Woodward’s project was conceived as a catalyst for neighbourhood revitalization, combining market and non-market housing with educational and cultural institutions. Simon Fraser University’s School for the Contemporary Arts remains a significant presence, contributing daytime foot traffic and institutional stability.
However, retail relies on consistent customer volumes and perceptions of safety, factors that have proven difficult to sustain in this location.
Retail Exit Reflects a Wider Pattern
London Drugs is not the first major organization to leave the immediate area. Over the past several years, a number of retailers and institutions have scaled back or withdrawn entirely from the Downtown Eastside. Coffee shops, financial institutions, and municipal offices have cited similar concerns around safety, vandalism, and staff well-being.
These departures have contributed to a sense of contraction in the local retail ecosystem, with vacant storefronts reducing street-level activity and further discouraging investment. The loss of London Drugs, given its size and service role, is among the most significant exits to date.
Former Yankee Candle store at Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, ON. Photo: Terry PG
Yankee Candle has officially exited Canadian brick-and-mortar retail, closing its final store last week at Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, Ontario. The location remained open through the 2025 holiday season before shutting its doors last week, marking the end of the brand’s company-owned retail presence in Canada after more than 14 years.
The Oshawa store had been the last remaining Yankee Candle location in the country and its closure coincided with a broader round of store shutdowns across the United States and Canada. These closures were announced as part of a wider corporate restructuring initiative by parent company Newell Brands, which has been rationalizing its retail footprint amid changing consumer behaviour and rising operating costs.
Entering Canada With Big Ambitions
Yankee Candle entered the Canadian market in August 2011 with significant expansion ambitions. At the time, the company launched five company-owned stores in Southern Ontario, positioning Canada as a key international growth market and publicly outlining plans to eventually reach 50 locations nationwide.
During the mid-2010s, Yankee Candle expanded its footprint to roughly a dozen stores, almost entirely concentrated in suburban enclosed shopping centres across Ontario. The strategy mirrored the brand’s U.S. mall-based retail model, which had previously supported hundreds of locations south of the border.
However, the Canadian rollout never reached its originally projected scale. Following the brand’s integration into Newell Brands in 2016, growth slowed and the store network began to contract, reflecting broader challenges facing specialty retailers operating in shopping centres.
Signage on the shuttered Yankee Candle store at Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, December 2025. Photo: Anna Siu
By the early 2020s, Yankee Candle’s Canadian store count had been steadily reduced, with closures accelerating after the pandemic as mall traffic patterns shifted and e-commerce gained further ground. By mid-2024, only one store remained in operation nationwide, the Oshawa Centre location that has now closed.
The retreat from physical retail was not isolated to Canada. Newell Brands announced in late 2025 that it would close approximately 20 Yankee Candle stores across North America as part of a global cost-reduction and productivity initiative. The Oshawa closure appears to have been included within that broader program, effectively bringing the brand’s Canadian retail chapter to a close.
This evolution shows how dramatically the economics of mall-based specialty retail have changed over the past decade, particularly for discretionary home categories that are now widely available through mass merchants and online platforms.
Shuttered Yankee Candle store at Oshawa Centre in Oshawa, Ontario, December 2025. Photo: Anna Siu
A Strategic Pivot to Wholesale Distribution
Despite exiting physical retail in Canada, Yankee Candle has not exited the market itself. Instead, the brand has shifted decisively toward a wholesale-led distribution model, significantly expanding its presence through major national retailers.
Today, Canadian consumers can purchase Yankee Candle products at chains including Canadian Tire, Walmart, and Staples Canada, as well as through Amazon.ca and various other retailers. This approach provides the brand with far broader geographic coverage than it ever achieved through company-owned stores, while avoiding the fixed costs associated with operating mall locations.
The wholesale strategy also aligns with Newell Brands’ broader focus on capital efficiency and margin discipline, leveraging established retail partners rather than maintaining a standalone store network in a highly competitive category.
Artificial Intelligence - AI in Retail. Image: TMP Direct
Artificial intelligence has moved from experimentation to everyday use, yet its most immediate impact on retail is not operational efficiency. According to the newly released Trend Report 2026 from Shikatani Lacroix Design, AI is quietly transforming how consumers search for information, products, and brands, with consequences that many retailers are not fully prepared for.
While companies continue to invest heavily in AI tools to automate tasks and reduce costs, the report suggests that the real disruption is happening earlier in the customer journey. Discovery itself is changing, and traditional assumptions about search visibility are beginning to break down. This AI retail search disruption is unfolding faster than most brands anticipated.
The report highlights a fundamental change in how people seek information. AI powered platforms are increasingly being used as the first point of inquiry, reducing reliance on traditional search engines. As consumers become more comfortable receiving synthesized answers rather than lists of links, traffic patterns are shifting away from retailer websites.
This change alters how brands compete for attention. When AI systems summarize options or recommend products directly, fewer retailers are surfaced, and the criteria for visibility become less transparent.
The report introduces the concept of generative engine optimization, a new reality where brands must adapt content for AI driven platforms rather than human search behaviour alone. This marks a departure from decades of SEO best practices built around keywords, backlinks, and page rankings.
For retailers, this shift creates uncertainty. Websites may become less visible even as content quality improves. Marketing teams accustomed to measuring success through organic search traffic are being forced to rethink how relevance is earned and measured in an AI mediated environment.
AI Adoption Is High, But Efficiency Gains Are Elusive
Despite rapid adoption, the report notes that most AI pilots are failing to deliver promised efficiencies. Companies that pursue automation as a cost cutting exercise are seeing limited success, while those using AI to support innovation and growth are achieving more meaningful outcomes.
This disconnect matters for retail search because it exposes a strategic blind spot. Many organizations are focused inward on productivity while overlooking how AI is reshaping consumer behaviour externally. As a result, brands risk optimizing internal workflows while losing relevance at the top of the funnel.
Trust and Authenticity Become New Gatekeepers
The report also identifies rising skepticism toward AI generated content. Consumers are increasingly wary of information that feels automated or inauthentic, a phenomenon often associated with the uncanny valley effect. At the same time, low quality AI generated material is flooding digital channels, making it harder for credible brands to stand out.
For retailers, this creates a paradox. AI tools can accelerate content creation, yet over-reliance can undermine trust. Search visibility may depend on technical optimization as well as signals of authenticity, originality, and human oversight.
Anti AI Sentiment Complicates the Landscape
While AI adoption continues to grow, resistance is rising alongside it. The report documents increasing hostility toward AI across sectors, driven by fears of job displacement, creative erosion, and broader societal impact.
This sentiment affects retail search indirectly. Consumers may reject brands that appear overly automated or impersonal, especially in customer facing interactions. Retailers must therefore be deliberate about where AI is visible and where human engagement remains central.
Retail Websites Face a Visibility Challenge
One of the most consequential implications outlined in the report is the declining role of retailer owned websites in discovery. As AI answers replace traditional search results, fewer users are clicking through to brand sites at all.
This trend forces retailers to reconsider long standing digital investments. Content strategies designed to drive organic traffic may deliver diminishing returns, while off platform presence within AI ecosystems grows in importance. At the same time, the loss of direct traffic weakens data collection and customer insight.
The report says that AI retail search disruption described in the report is not a future scenario — it is already unfolding. Retailers that treat AI solely as an operational tool risk missing its most immediate impact on visibility, relevance, and trust.
Success in 2026 will depend on a more balanced approach. Brands must adapt content for AI driven discovery while maintaining authenticity and human connection. They must accept that search is no longer neutral or fully controllable, and that earning trust may matter as much as technical optimization.
AI is reshaping retail search, but not in the ways brands initially expected, according to the report. Those who recognize this shift early will be better positioned to protect visibility and relevance in a rapidly changing digital landscape.
Toronto’s Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area has appointed Janet McCausland as its new Executive Director, ushering in a new chapter for one of Canada’s most prominent luxury retail and urban districts.
McCausland assumed the role on January 5, 2026, succeeding longtime Executive Director Briar de Lange, whose retirement was announced in June 2025 after nearly 25 years of leadership at the organization. De Lange’s departure marked the end of a transformative era for the BIA, coinciding with its 40th anniversary year.
McCausland brings more than 25 years of senior leadership experience across strategic planning, communications, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and community development, with a career spanning both the non-profit and private sectors.
McCausland takes over leadership of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA following the retirement of Briar de Lange, who played a central role in shaping the district into one of Canada’s most sophisticated urban neighbourhoods.
Janet McCausland
During her tenure, de Lange oversaw major public-realm and placemaking initiatives, including the Bloor Street Transformation, the redesign of Yorkville Avenue, and a wide range of beautification projects that elevated the pedestrian experience. These included crown lighting on trees, urban campfire benches, seasonal programming, and enhancements to Village of Yorkville Park.
Under her stewardship, Bloor-Yorkville strengthened its identity as a luxury destination while maintaining a strong sense of community and collaboration among nearly 1,400 member businesses. De Lange’s leadership was also defined by organizational stability, with the BIA’s core staff collectively representing decades of institutional knowledge.
McCausland now steps into the role at a moment when the district is experiencing another period of profound change.
Extensive Leadership Experience Across Sectors
Most recently, McCausland worked as an independent advisor, supporting purpose-driven developers, charities, and early-stage companies on strategy, partnerships, and external relations. Her advisory work focused on long-term growth, alignment with community values, and sustainable organizational outcomes.
Briar de Lange, photo: Bloor-Yorkville BIA
Previously, she spent a decade with The King’s Trust Canada, where she held senior roles including Head of Programs and Head of Communications and Sustainability. In those positions, she led national initiatives, strengthened stakeholder engagement, and guided sustainability-focused communications strategies across complex organizations.
Earlier in her career, McCausland led communications and engagement initiatives for environmental organizations and co-founded a national non-profit organization. Across these roles, she developed a reputation for collaborative leadership and for aligning strategic objectives with community and urban development priorities.
As Executive Director, McCausland will oversee the organization’s strategic vision and day-to-day operations, working closely with the Board of Management, member businesses, City of Toronto partners, and local stakeholders.
Her mandate includes advancing economic vitality, enhancing the neighbourhood experience, strengthening member engagement, and reinforcing Bloor-Yorkville’s position as a globally recognized destination for luxury retail, dining, culture, and urban living.
The role also involves guiding the BIA through continued urban intensification and commercial evolution, while preserving the character and prestige that have defined the district for decades.
Urban Campfire Benches on Bloor Street. Photo: Larry Leung
Canada’s Most Concentrated Luxury Street-Front Retail District
Bloor-Yorkville features the largest single clustering of luxury brand stores of any urban street-front retail district in Canada. The area is home to an exceptional concentration of global luxury flagship stores, many of which serve as Canadian or regional showcases for international brands.
Unlike enclosed luxury shopping centres, Bloor-Yorkville’s retail environment is defined by an open, walkable streetscape that integrates high-end retail with hospitality, culture, and residential uses. This format has helped position the district as both a shopping destination and a lifestyle neighbourhood.
Over the past five years, the area has undergone unprecedented change. Luxury brands have expanded or refreshed their footprints, new flagship concepts have entered the market, and the district has continued to gain relevance within the global luxury ecosystem as Toronto’s international profile has grown.
Alongside retail expansion, Bloor-Yorkville has seen significant residential development, with new towers featuring luxury homes reshaping the skyline. These projects have introduced a growing base of affluent full-time residents to an area historically defined by visitors and destination retail.
This demographic shift has supported the continued growth of upscale restaurants, cafés, wellness providers, and professional services catering to both local residents and international visitors. The result is a mixed-use urban district where retail, dining, living, and culture intersect.
Bloor St. W. in Toronto in October, 2024. Photo: Craig Patterson
Positioning the District for Its Next Chapter
McCausland’s appointment reflects a desire for continuity paired with strategic evolution. As the district balances heritage, growth, and global competitiveness, the Bloor-Yorkville BIA faces ongoing priorities related to public-realm quality, infrastructure, mobility, and stakeholder collaboration.
With a background rooted in sustainability, communications, and partnership-driven leadership, McCausland is positioned to build on the strong foundation established under de Lange, while guiding the organization through the next phase of Bloor-Yorkville’s evolution as Canada’s most prestigious urban luxury district.
Our province has plenty of success stories from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that have grown into prosperous companies at home and abroad. This culture of innovation, supported by a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem, has made our province standout. As Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, once said, Montreal is the most entrepreneurial city he’s ever seen—a reflection of the energy and spirit that sets Quebec apart (Drimonis, 2023).
These local stories offer valuable insights. They highlight key trends in our retail landscape and provide lessons future companies can apply as they grow in their respective industries.
It’s inspiring to see how many Quebec businesses have scaled internationally without losing their brand essence. In a retail world dominated by e-commerce giants, these SMEs show how customer-centric strategies and agility can lead to remarkable success.
Brand Spotlights: Lessons from Quebec’s Standout SMEs
Omy Laboratoires
Omy Laboratoires is revolutionizing the cosmetics industry. Founded in 2018 to provide custom skincare solutions, the company has leveraged cutting-edge technology and science to create a business model and customer experience that is both intimate and innovative.
Personalization has become a key differentiator across retail. Customers are increasingly seeking experiences that offer products catered to their personal needs or lifestyles, and Omy Laboratoires is addressing this within a space where customers may otherwise be lost. Here, the company has blended artificial intelligence-driven recommendations with dermatologist-approved formulations to create their own space in the market. For this, the company developed their own technology, SkinIA, which leverages artificial intelligence to help customers discover and find the right products based on preferences and skin type (Espace CDPQ, 2020). By simplifying the overall shopping experience and quite literally guiding their customers along the process of finding the right products for their skin type and conditions, Omy Laboratoires removes the worries and uncertainties.
The brand has also leaned into digital marketing, using influencer campaigns (including collaborations with Geneviève Everell, a wellknown local entrepreneur) and data-driven targeting to build a qualified and loyal customer base. Their proprietary platform, North Finder, fosters influencer partnerships and further amplifies their reach (Knowles, 2025). Overall, their content highlights this clear benefit to customers of providing custom recommended products to directly address their needs.
It’s fascinating to see how personalization, when well executed, can reshape both customer experience and an entire industry. By combining AI skin analysis with custom formulations, Omy has created a more personal relationship with customers—successfully scaling this model with a recent launch in over 400 Jean Coutu and Brunet locations across Quebec, Ontario, and New Brunswick (Omy Laboratoires, 2024). This strategic retail expansion makes personalized skincare more accessible while staying true to the brand’s core values. Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see similar business models develop in other industries. Omy Laboratoires’ approach also highlights the importance of building a strong product innovation pipeline early on—a key factor that separates brands that make a splash from those that lead long-term.
BonLook store at Vaughan Mills. Image: BonLook
BonLook
BonLook’s journey from a digitally native brand founded in 2011 to a key player in eyewear retail exemplifies a successful omnichannel strategy. Early on, the company identified a growing trend: consumers wanted both convenience and the ability to try on eyewear in person. Their initial online launch attracted strong traffic, but low conversion rates revealed that shoppers preferred a tactile experience (Dopson, 2024). In response, BonLook blended a seamless e-commerce platform with strategically placed physical locations, redefining the eyewear shopping journey in Quebec and across Canada.
BonLook’s in-store experience remains focused around personalization, offering different tools for customers to find frames tailored to their facial structure and lifestyle. These include virtual try-on technology, the EyeMeasure app for accurate pupillary distance measurements, and a custom in-store iOS application that helps staff provide real-time product recommendations (BonLook, 2021). The company also seeks to make fashionable eyewear more readily accessible through their relatively affordable prescription models and direct-to-consumer business model. BonLook is continuously innovating with their monthly releases of new collections, positioning eyewear as a versatile fashion accessory rather than a standalone necessity—an approach further reinforced by their Trendsetter Rewards Program, which encourages ongoing engagement with the brand and its evolving styles (Ethos, 2024).
Looking into the future of retail, I see this as a great example of how a brand can disrupt a traditional industry with a well-crafted and affordable customer-first approach. Their shift to an omnichannel model demonstrates deep consumer insight. By cutting out intermediaries, BonLook has made fashion-forward eyewear more affordable while staying attuned to modern shopping habits.
Matt & Nat store, image: Matt & Nat
Matt & Nat
Matt & Nat’s success in the fashion industry is a testament to the power of minimalism and ethical production. Founded in 1995 on core principles of sustainability, the brand quickly became known for its vegan leather products, appealing to style-conscious yet environmentally aware consumers.
At a time when ‘sustainable fashion’ carried little mainstream weight, Matt & Nat’s foresight and ethical leadership gave it a head start. Their blend of values and design created a unique offering, helping the brand grow into a major player in this space.
A key driver of their growth has been strategic sourcing and distribution. Their production was expanded around the world, which allowed the business to scale while at the same time maintaining the importance of product quality. In addition, the brand has continued to balance affordability and luxury, appealing to a large audience without having to compromise on aesthetics or sustainability. Notably, Matt & Nat incorporates sustainable practices by crafting all interior linings of their bags from 100% recycled plastic bottles, recycling approximately 21 bottles per bag. They also utilize materials such as biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastics, and have introduced collections featuring PVB, a material made from 100% recycled windshield glass resin (Matt & Nat, 2025).
Despite rising competition, Matt & Nat has stayed true to its founding philosophy while evolving its product lines. New materials like cork, recycled nylon, and biodegradable PU reflect their ongoing commitment to innovation. Their ability to merge sustainability with smart business decisions proves that profitability and ethics can go hand in hand.
I see the company as a great success story of a brand staying true to their values. Long before sustainability was a trend, they led with purpose. Their smart sourcing, expansion to 12 standalone stores across North America (2016–2019), and strong branding have helped them thrive in a competitive market (Patterson, 2019). As the demand for sustainable alternatives grows, Matt & Nat shows how mission-driven leadership creates long-term success.
Lessons from Past SME Challenges
While Quebec is home to many successful companies that began as small businesses, it’s also important to consider why others haven’t flourished. Across sectors, local businesses have often struggled to grow due to operational constraints, shifting consumer behaviour, and intense competition.
One common pitfall is overexpansion—growing too quickly, stretching resources, and losing customer focus. Controlled, strategic growth is essential.
Another challenge is the failure to adapt. Whether from competitors or consumers, companies must have their ear to the ground and be ready to respond, and perhaps adapt, when it is truly needed and makes sense. Over the past decade we have seen this with companies being resistant to the digital transformation revolution and have therefore found themselves losing relevance with the rise of online shopping.
Perhaps the most critical obstacle is financial mismanagement. Rapid scaling without the proper guardrails leads to increased operational costs, supply chain complexities and cash flow problems.
Quebec’s SME landscape is both inspiring and complex. Many of our province’s SMEs showcase both the risks and rewards that exist in entrepreneurship. The key takeaway? Together, these successes and struggles highlight that sustainable growth is not about speed but rather requires strategic decision-making, adaptability and financial discipline to navigate an ever-changing business landscape.
Common Success Strategies
As a hopeful future leader in retail, these success stories highlight essential strategies for scaling businesses sustainably. One of the most important is a clear brand identity. Being founded on strong core values and staying true to these will resonate with consumers who are increasingly more knowledgeable and can recognize true authenticity.
Adaptability is also critical. While many entrepreneurs may believe their strategies are future-proof, successful businesses do not resist change; they embrace it. When truly needed and strategically sound, the ability to pivot and adapt to change is a defining trait of long-term success.
A strong customer-centric approach is another common thread. Brands that build early relationships and actively listen to customer feedback foster long-term loyalty. Success comes from refining offerings, meeting evolving needs, and earning trust through engagement.
Equally important is maintaining a robust product innovation pipeline. While many great brands start with a hit product, true longevity comes from the ability to consistently launch relevant, high-performing products over time. This has been a defining strength of companies like the L’Oréal Group, whose continued market leadership is driven by ongoing product development rooted in science, trends, and consumer feedback. For SMEs, investing in innovation from the outset can be the difference between a fleeting moment of success and becoming a category leader.
The future of retail for SMEs is both challenging and full of opportunity. With digital-first consumers reshaping expectations, traditional models alone won’t suffice. Instead, those that embrace personalization, omnichannel experience and sustainability will be best positioned to thrive. While technology—from AI to seamless e-commerce—continues to evolve, long-term success will still rest on authenticity and strategic growth. Quebec’s SMEs have proven their resilience, and those that stay agile, customer-focused, and purpose-driven will shape the next era of retail.
William Bernasconi
About the Author:
William Bernasconi is a marketing and digital strategy professional with a strong background in customer relationship management (CRM) and retail innovation. He was formerly responsible for the CRM marketing at Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), a position in which he combined his academic knowledge with practical experience. He specializes in data-driven consumer engagement, digital retailing models, and emerging industry trends, and focuses on enhancing customer experiences through strategic marketing and technology.
Today, he is a Business Analyst at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) within the Amplify Program, where he contributes to the development of innovative tech solutions, many with direct applications in the retail and consumer space. He is also pursuing a Master’s degree in Retail Management at McGill University’s Bensadoun School of Retail Business.
His interest in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is deeply personal and stems from his experience working with a few startups in Montreal, where he witnessed firsthand the resilience, creativity, and drive that define these businesses. Being immersed in the energy and ambition of local entrepreneurs sparked a lasting passion for the SME ecosystem, one that continues to shape his perspective on innovation and growth. It is this connection, and a belief in the importance of supporting and spotlighting SMEs, that inspired him to write this article.
The Retail Council of Quebec presents the 2nd edition of the Next Gen Retail Perspective, a series of 4 articles, each written by a student from McGill University’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management (BSRM).
This series offers an opportunity to explore the ideas and perspectives of young professionals who are shaping the retail world of tomorrow. This article originally appeared on the CQCD website as part of a series.
The fashion industry is evolving quickly, and businesses across footwear, apparel and accessories are preparing for shifts in consumer behaviour, category demand and product expectations. AFA United in Style 2026, taking place February 8 to 10 at the Toronto Congress Centre, brings the entire national industry together to understand what is coming next. The show provides buyers, wholesalers and suppliers with early access to new collections that will shape future seasons, while also delivering insight into emerging trends that are influencing production and retail strategies. Companies that attend are positioning themselves ahead of the curve at a moment when change is constant.
AFA United in Style has become the only national event that unites these categories in one location. The result is an efficient buying and networking environment where product lines, market evolution and business priorities can be evaluated in real time. The ability to compare offerings and meet with multiple suppliers in a single venue continues to be a major advantage for retailers who want to make informed decisions under tight timelines. The event also gives brands an opportunity to present their collections to qualified buyers who are actively preparing for upcoming assortment planning.
The 2026 edition of AFA United in Style builds on a long tradition of helping Canadian businesses anticipate what is ahead. Attendees will see new ideas, reconnect with industry partners and gain clarity on how the market is moving. The event has been designed to support companies that want to lead with confidence, and it provides one of the most effective ways to prepare for the next buying cycle. For professionals who understand that agility and foresight are essential, AFA United in Style 2026 is a must-attend gathering.
The event takes place at the Toronto Congress Centre, 650 Dixon Road, from February 8-10, 2026.
Retail Insider is working with AFA on a promotional campaign ahead of the event. To work with Retail Insider, contact Craig Patterson at craig@retail-insider.com
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Finding the right engagement ring takes time. You want something that fits your partner, your budget, and your values. Some people prefer working with a designer from scratch. Others want to pick from existing collections.
A few care deeply about where their diamonds come from. The brands on this list cover all of these preferences, and each one has built a reputation worth examining.
1. GOODSTONE: The Most Recommended Engagement Ring Brand
GOODSTONE takes a different approach to engagement rings. Every piece is bespoke and handcrafted by generational artisans in Los Angeles. The brand uses the most durable alloys of gold and platinum, and each ring is made to order rather than pulled from existing inventory.
The custom design process follows three steps.
First, you choose a setting that fits your story.
Second, you select a diamond with guidance from experts who walk you through the 4 Cs.
Third, artisans craft the ring to your specifications.
You work with real people from start to finish.
Consultations happen via phone or in person at their Austin, Texas showroom. Both formats give you direct access to a designer. You see sketches, review details, and make adjustments until the design feels right. There is no limit on revisions and no pressure to buy. A $500 deposit starts the design work and applies to the final total.
Most custom rings start at $2,500, and GOODSTONE provides exact quotes based on your design with flexible payment options. Free lifetime repairs come with every purchase. Complimentary resizing is available if needed, though eternity bands cannot be altered. You can also request a free ring sizer before production begins.
2. Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany & Co. introduced the Tiffany Setting in 1886, and that design defined what most people picture when they think of an engagement ring. The brand remains a reference point for the category.
Tiffany is the only jeweler offering a triple excellent cut on all round brilliant engagement diamonds. This is the highest grade in the industry. The brand also traces 100% of its rough diamonds to known mines and sources, making it a leader in diamond traceability.
The Tiffany Ring Studio allows you to design a ring with a Diamond Expert. Pricing sits at the premium end, which matches the brand’s positioning. Craftsmanship is meticulous, and the artisans treat each diamond as a separate project.
3. Cartier
Cartier brings French luxury to the engagement ring market. The Set For You service allows you to choose your diamond, select a setting style, and pick your gold type. The process takes about three weeks.
The Solitaire 1895 references the year the first solitaire ring appeared in Cartier’s archives. A center stone held by four prongs creates a design where simplicity meets precision. The Maison positions its bridal collection as a way to create something that reflects a specific relationship.
Pricing is at the high end, consistent with Cartier’s place in the luxury market.
4. Brilliant Earth
Brilliant Earth has built its business around ethical sourcing. The brand offers engagement rings with what it calls Beyond Conflict Free diamonds. It uses ethically and sustainably sourced natural diamonds, recycled diamonds, and lab-grown diamonds.
The Renewable Collection uses diamonds created from 100% renewable wind and solar energy. All gold and silver in Brilliant Earth jewelry is more than 95% recycled. These details matter to buyers who want transparency about materials.
Comprehensive customization options are available, and all engagement rings include a free lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. Pricing falls in the mid-range, making it accessible compared to legacy luxury houses.
5. Blue Nile
Blue Nile started in 1999 and pioneered online engagement ring shopping. The brand’s Creative Studio lets you design a fully custom ring by choosing diamond shape, setting style, precious metal, ring shank, and additional details.
Experts are available 24/7 to help with custom designs. Free secure shipping applies to all US orders, and orders over $500 qualify for overnight delivery. Blue Nile also offers price matching, complimentary resizing, and complimentary cleaning.
The pricing sits in the mid-range, and the online model means lower overhead costs pass through to buyers.
6. James Allen
James Allen changed how people shop for diamonds online. The brand’s 360-degree Diamond Display Technology shows diamonds in HD with up to 40x magnification. You can see cut, color, clarity, and sparkle in ways that static images cannot capture.
This matters because two diamonds with identical GIA certifications can look quite different in person. James Allen’s viewing technology addresses that gap. The brand presents each of its 150,000+ conflict-free diamonds in magnified 360-degree HD.
Non-commissioned certified gemologists are available 24/7 via live chat, phone, and email. Real-Time Live Inspection software connects you with on-call diamond experts who can examine specific stones with you. Lifetime warranties cover repairs and adjustments.
7. Van Cleef & Arpels
Van Cleef & Arpels brings high jewelry heritage to bridal collections. The Maison’s first piece mentioned in sales records was a diamond-set heart from 1906. That connection to love stories has continued for over a century.
Your Poetic Setting is a special service where you create your own engagement ring. Solitaires come in platinum, white gold, or rose gold settings. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires adorn 17 timeless aesthetics.
Van Cleef & Arpels sits at the top of the luxury market. The brand emphasizes its High Jewelry savoir-faire and careful stone selection. Buyers here are looking for exceptional craftsmanship and exclusivity.
8. Catbird
Catbird has operated from Brooklyn since 2004. The brand uses over 95% recycled gold and recycled diamonds in its jewelry. All engagement rings are made to order in their Brooklyn studio.
The engagement ring collection began in 2014 with the birth of their Swans, 11 originally designed rings made with ethically-sourced materials and fair pricing. Today, the collection includes recycled diamonds, lab-grown diamonds, recycled 14k gold, and ethical stones.
Catbird’s trained jewelers handmake each piece, and the brand offers a lifetime guarantee. The company holds CFDA membership, Made in New York certification, and No Dirty Gold membership. These credentials support its sustainability claims.
Pricing is mid-range, and the focus is on quality and ethics rather than luxury branding.
Quick Comparison
Brand
Custom Options
Starting Price
Key Feature
GOODSTONE
Full bespoke design
$2,500
Handcrafted in LA, lifetime repairs
Tiffany & Co.
Tiffany Ring Studio
Premium
Triple excellent cut diamonds
Cartier
Set For You service
Premium
French luxury, 3-week turnaround
Brilliant Earth
Comprehensive customization
Mid-range
Beyond Conflict Free diamonds
Blue Nile
Creative Studio builder
Mid-range
24/7 expert support
James Allen
Build your own
Mid-range
360° HD diamond viewing
Van Cleef & Arpels
Your Poetic Setting
High luxury
High jewelry heritage
Catbird
Made to order
Mid-range
Brooklyn-made, recycled materials
Making Your Choice
Each brand on this list serves a different type of buyer. The right brand depends on what matters most to you.
Some people want to see their ring take shape through sketches and revisions with a designer.
Others prefer selecting from established collections with immediate availability.
Some need to know their diamond came from a traceable source.
Others want maximum sparkle within a specific budget.
Visit showrooms when possible. Schedule virtual consultations. Ask questions about sourcing, customization limits, timelines, and warranties. The brands that make this list have earned their reputations, but reputation alone should not drive your decision.
Your partner will wear this ring for decades. Take the time to find the right fit.
