Randstad Canada has released its annual ranking of the Top 15 Most In-Demand Jobs for 2026, pointing to sustained demand across healthcare, sales, administration and logistics as employers adapt to rapid technological change and shifting labour market dynamics.
The ranking, published as artificial intelligence, new technologies and workforce pressures continue to reshape hiring needs, is intended to help job seekers understand emerging employment trends while supporting organizations in workforce planning, the company said.
“This ranking confirms an underlying trend: technology does not replace humans, it enhances relational and strategic roles,” said Patrick Poulin, president and CEO of Randstad Canada. “Whether in healthcare, administration, or retail, employers are primarily looking for talent capable of navigating both technological efficiency and emotional intelligence.”
Patrick Poulin
According to the report, the Top 15 most in-demand jobs in Canada for 2026 are sales associate or sales representative, administrative assistant, customer service representative, accounting clerk and technician, receptionist, bookkeeper, retail sales associate, store manager, pharmacy assistant, registered practical nurse, dental assistant, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, office administrator or clerk, and forklift operator.
Randstad said demand for these roles is being shaped by a combination of economic and demographic forces that are influencing how organizations operate and where they invest in talent. The company’s analysis highlights several areas where hiring pressure is expected to remain strong despite ongoing uncertainty in the broader economy.
Frontline healthcare roles continue to emerge as a key employment engine, driven by population aging and the lingering effects of the post-pandemic period. Randstad said demand remains strong for registered nurses, licensed and registered practical nurses, dental assistants and pharmacy assistants. These roles are described as resilient to economic cycles and are evolving toward more specialized care and expanded scopes of practice as healthcare systems face ongoing pressures.
Retail and sales positions are also being reshaped, according to the report, as the experience economy changes the nature of customer-facing work. Randstad said retail and sales roles are no longer purely transactional, with store managers, sales associates and sales representatives increasingly acting as brand ambassadors. These roles now focus more heavily on customer engagement, loyalty and long-term relationship building, with customer experience positioned as a key success factor and a critical growth lever in a competitive environment.
Administrative roles are also being repositioned, Randstad said, as automation continues to absorb repetitive tasks. The company’s analysis notes that the value of administrative assistants, office administrators and receptionists increasingly lies in problem-solving, digital fluency and their role in human coordination and organizational culture. This shift is particularly evident in healthcare and educational institutions, where these roles support complex operations and interpersonal interactions.
Financial roles remain essential regardless of economic conditions, the report said. Randstad pointed to continued demand for bookkeepers and accounting clerks and technicians as businesses maintain regulatory compliance and manage cash flow. The company said demand is growing for professionals who combine traditional accounting expertise with proficiency in cloud-based tools and data analysis, reflecting changes in how financial oversight is performed.
Randstad Canada: Most in-demand jobs for 2026.
Operational roles are also expected to remain in demand as commerce continues to be driven by efficiency and speed. Randstad said forklift operators play a critical role in keeping supply chains moving efficiently in an economy increasingly shaped by e-commerce. At the same time, customer service representatives remain frontline problem-solvers, ensuring that operational efficiency does not come at the expense of customer satisfaction.
The ranking is positioned as a benchmark report that reflects how employers are prioritizing roles that combine technical capability with human skills. Randstad said the list underscores the importance of adaptability, communication and relationship management across a wide range of occupations, even as technology continues to influence how work is performed.
The company said the report is intended to serve both job seekers and employers as they navigate a labour market shaped by rapid change. For job seekers, the ranking highlights roles where demand is expected to remain strong. For organizations, it offers insight into areas where competition for talent may intensify and where workforce planning will be critical.
Randstad said additional information on these jobs and other predicted market trends shaping 2026 is available on its website.
Randstad is the world’s largest talent company and works with clients across sectors. The company said it is committed to providing equitable opportunities and helping people remain relevant in a rapidly changing world of work. Randstad said it has a deep understanding of the labour market and supports clients in building high-quality, diverse and agile workforces. The company said its 46,000 employees worldwide aim to make a positive impact by helping people realize their potential throughout their working lives.
Tiffany & Co. at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Supplied
Tiffany & Co. is continuing its long-term expansion across Canada with the opening of a new store at Royalmount in Montreal, a move that further underscores the luxury jeweller’s confidence in the Canadian market. The new store introduces Tiffany & Co.’s latest global design concept to Quebec and adds a significant flagship-style presence within one of the country’s most ambitious new retail developments.
The Royalmount opening builds on Tiffany & Co.’s existing footprint in Montreal, where the brand has operated a boutique at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Sherbrooke Street for more than a decade, as well as a concession inside Holt Renfrew Ogilvy on Sainte-Catherine Street.
The Royalmount boutique brings Tiffany & Co.’s newest architectural and interior design language to the Quebec market, drawing inspiration from the House’s Fifth Avenue flagship in New York, known as The Landmark. The exterior immediately distinguishes itself through a façade that pays tribute to Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of founder Charles Lewis Tiffany, whose early 20th-century mosaic work helped define the brand’s artistic legacy.
The façade reinterprets that heritage using handmade ceramic tiles arranged in varying shades of blue. The result is a contemporary surface that references Tiffany & Co.’s past while positioning the store within a modern luxury context. From the moment visitors arrive, the exterior signals the level of investment and design intent behind the project.
At 5,005 square feet, the store offers the scale required to present the brand’s collections in a flagship-style setting. The size allows for a more immersive retail experience, aligning with Tiffany & Co.’s broader global shift toward experiential, design-forward stores.
Tiffany & Co. at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Supplied
An Interior Anchored by Tiffany’s Design Heritage
Inside the boutique, the narrative continues through a carefully curated interior that balances heritage with contemporary luxury. Upon entry, visitors are drawn toward a hand-painted Bird on a Rock feature wall, a direct reference to Jean Schlumberger’s iconic 1965 design. More than half a century later, Bird on a Rock remains one of Tiffany & Co.’s most recognizable motifs, and its prominence at Royalmount reinforces the continuity between past and present.
The store showcases Tiffany & Co.’s diamond jewelry alongside its core collections, including Lock by Tiffany, HardWear by Tiffany, T by Tiffany, Knot by Tiffany, and the newer Bird on a Rock by Tiffany collection. Jewellery is displayed within mother-of-pearl cases set beneath a champagne gold leaf ceiling, creating a warm and elevated environment that encourages browsing while reinforcing the brand’s craftsmanship and attention to detail.
The interior layout supports both discovery and service, reflecting Tiffany & Co.’s emphasis on physical retail as a cornerstone of luxury storytelling, even as digital engagement continues to grow.
General contracting work for the Royalmount store was done by Montreal-based SAJO, a design-build firm with extensive experience delivering luxury retail projects in Canada and internationally. SAJO has also been involved in several other retail spaces within Royalmount, contributing to the development’s cohesive visual language and execution.
Royalmount Takes Shape as a New Luxury Destination
The new Tiffany & Co. store is located within Royalmount, a large-scale luxury-and-lifestyle shopping district in midtown Montreal that is rapidly establishing itself as a new retail node for the city. Positioned near major highways and connected to the De la Savane metro station via a new pedestrian link, Royalmount is designed to attract both local shoppers and visitors from across the region.
Royalmount’s first phase opened to the public in September 2024 and includes approximately 170 stores and 60 restaurants and cafés. Marketed as Montreal’s premier shopping, dining, and entertainment destination, the development is anchored by a dense cluster of global luxury flagships alongside premium and mainstream brands.
Luxury tenants include Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Versace, Saint Laurent, Jimmy Choo, Longchamp, Moncler, and RH, many of which represent first standalone or flagship locations for Quebec or Montreal. Contemporary and premium fashion brands such as Sandro, Maje, Anine Bing, Veronica Beard, and Michael Kors further deepen the upscale mix.
Royalmount has also emerged as Quebec’s largest concentration of luxury watch and jewellery brands. In addition to Tiffany & Co., the lineup includes David Yurman, TAG Heuer, Tudor, IWC, Omega, TimeVallée, Rolex, Montblanc, Swarovski, and Pandora. This clustering strategy supports longer visits and encourages cross-shopping, a key factor in attracting flagship brands to the development.
Tiffany & Co. at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Supplied
Major Investments Across the Canadian Market
The Tiffany & Co. Royalmount Montreal store is part of a broader wave of investment by the brand across Canada. In Toronto, Tiffany & Co. recently reopened its Yorkdale Shopping Centre location following a major renovation that included tens of millions of dollars invested in a dramatic crystal façade. The project repositioned the store as a flagship-level destination within Canada’s highest-performing shopping centre.
At the same time, a new Tiffany & Co. store is under construction at the northwest corner of Bloor Street and Bay Street in Toronto, placing the brand at the heart of the Bloor-Yorkville luxury corridor. Together, these projects signal a sustained commitment to physical retail at a time when many brands are reassessing their brick-and-mortar strategies.
Tiffany & Co. will also open a store this spring in Vancouver at Oakridge Park. The shopping centre will feature many of the luxury tenants found at Royalmount in Montreal and Yorkdale in Toronto.
Founded in New York City in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, Tiffany & Co. operates more than 300 retail stores worldwide and employs over 14,000 people. More than 3,000 skilled artisans cut Tiffany diamonds and craft jewellery in the company’s own workshops, underscoring the brand’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship.
The company also maintains a long-standing focus on responsible business practices, including environmental stewardship, diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement. These priorities increasingly resonate with luxury consumers who expect transparency and accountability alongside design excellence.
Tiffany & Co. at Royalmount in Montreal. Photo: Supplied
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
