Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corporation, one of Canada’s fastest-growing, award-winning consumer electronics repair and resale platforms, says it has experienced year-over-year growth across its store network and early productivity improvements following the integration of the recently acquired Geebo Device Repair Inc. locations.
The company said it will provide audited results for the year ended December 31, 2025 when available.
“These results demonstrate the strength of our operating model,” said Piyush Sawhney, Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Phone Fix. “Our existing stores continue to generate organic growth, while the early progress we are seeing with Geebo highlights our ability to integrate independent repair operators and improve productivity through standardized processes and expanded service offerings.”
Piyush Sawhney
Across the company’s original 35-store platform, Dr. Phone Fix said it generated same-store sales growth of over 50% year-over-year during the January – February period from 2025 to 2026.
“Same-store sales reflect revenue generated by stores that were operating during both comparison periods. Growth during the period was primarily driven by higher repair volumes, increasing store productivity, and the early contribution of insurance repair programs, which are beginning to add incremental repair traffic across the retail network,” it explained.
The company also reported encouraging early results from the integration of the Geebo acquisition, where Dr. Phone Fix has begun implementing its standardized operating procedures, technician training programs, and expanded retail service model.
During the January – February 2026 period, the Geebo operations generated over $175,000 in revenue, representing growth of approximately 12% compared to the same period in the prior year, it said.
Dr. Phone Fix said operational improvements implemented following the Geebo acquisition have contributed to improved store productivity across the Geebo locations:
Revenue per employee increased 40% to over $22,000 per employee; and
Average repair throughout increased from approximately 3–4 repairs per day to approximately 7 repairs per day.
Since the acquisition, Dr. Phone Fix said it has begun transitioning the Geebo locations from repair-focused service centres into a broader retail platform that includes device sales, accessory sales, OEM authorized repair services, and participation in insurance repair programs.
Sleep Country Express at Walmart Canada (Image: Sleep Country)
Sleep Country Canada CEO Stewart Schaefer says the company is navigating a quieter retail environment while pursuing growth through domestic expansion, direct-to-consumer brands, and international acquisitions.
Schaefer described the last three months as “very quiet” for the company, noting that consumer activity has softened following a record 2025, which he described as the company’s best year in both revenue and profitability. “Except since Black Friday, and the noise and rhetoric around Trump and tariffs and all that different things, the consumer seems to have pulled back quite a bit,” he said.
Despite a slowdown in early 2026, Schaefer said he remains optimistic. “The consumer is still employed, even though unemployment’s ticking up a little bit. Their savings are growing. I’m not seeing such negativity out there, so I am okay,” he said. He added that he expects a rebound in the second half of 2026 and into 2027, as market disruptions either resolve or consumers become desensitized to them.
Schaefer cited multiple sources of uncertainty affecting retail, including tariffs, trade disputes, and emerging technology. “Every day you wake up, is there a different tariff? Is there a different—this is what’s going on with AI and how’s that having an impact in terms of business and unemployment? There’s just so much noise out there,” he said. He also highlighted weather conditions in Toronto, including heavy snowfall this winter, which he said had an impact on operations and consumer traffic. The housing market in Toronto is also soft these days.
While acknowledging these headwinds, Schaefer emphasized that Sleep Country continues to expand. “We are still growing and opening more stores. We’re still doing acquisitions,” he said, describing the current slowdown as a temporary blip. He noted that, over the past year, consumer behaviour has fluctuated but consistently recovered, citing strong Boxing Day sales following a quieter October.
Schaefer also provided insight on the company’s direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategy. He identified Silk and Snow, Endy, Hush, and Casper as key brands for growth outside Sleep Country’s core retail stores. “Silk and Snow has been the darling of the bunch, performing beautifully. In some of our Sleep Country stores, we’ve been opening Silk and Snow stores inside, or we’ve been opening Silk and Snow standalone stores. We continue to experiment, test, learn,” he said.
The D2C strategy extends beyond Canada. “The Endy mattress with the Canadian maple leaf on the product seems to be resonating very well with our Florida friends,” Schaefer said.
International expansion has also become a focus. Last summer, Sleep Country completed its first overseas acquisition, buying a stake in U.K.-based Simba. Schaefer recently visited the U.K. team and highlighted optimism around a new trade deal between the European Union and India. “Some of the U.S. noise in terms of trade relations has forced the Europeans to get their act together with their own trade deals. A 20-year-old deal that they’ve been working on between the countries, as well as with India, just got signed,” he said.
“We’re looking for even further opportunities in Europe. United States is a crowded retail market and the UK marries up really nicely with us.”
Image Provided by Stewart Schaefer
Schaefer also discussed Sleep Country’s acquisition of Canadian and UK. rights to the Bed Bath & Beyond brand. He said the company has temporarily closed stores and taken down the website as it plans a relaunch under new leadership. Carol Deacon is overseeing the transformation. “We just finished with the marketing agencies on the new personality of Bed Bath & Beyond, the new look and feel. We’re excited about that. That should hopefully launch by the end of the year,” he said.
Schaefer attributed the company’s resilience to the broader capacity of businesses and consumers to adapt to uncertainty. Drawing parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, “If you managed through COVID, this is nothing. In COVID, everyone—the whole world shut down. The store shut down. People were furloughed. There was a supply chain disruption. You couldn’t walk. This is nothing.” He argued that consumers are returning to normal spending patterns as employment remains stable and housing secure.
Looking ahead, Schaefer said he expects the Canadian retail market to remain influenced by global developments but believes Sleep Country’s diversified strategy positions it well for growth. “We are still growing and opening more stores. We’re still doing acquisitions. I do think this is a blip…The consumer always seems to come back,” he said.
Schaefer’s comments underscore the interplay between operational strategy, macroeconomic factors, and consumer behaviour. By blending domestic expansion with targeted D2C initiatives and international acquisitions, Sleep Country is positioning itself to weather short-term market volatility while pursuing longer-term growth opportunities.
“I’m bullish for the second half of 2026. And I’m even more bullish into 2027,” he said, reflecting a measured confidence grounded in the company’s ongoing operational and strategic initiatives.
“The economic fallout could be massive. Thousands of workers could be forced to leave or left in limbo waiting for an extension or a new permit. Some estimates show more than 300,000 work permits are due to expire by the end of March alone. Many employers are now facing the hard reality that they may not be able to keep their foreign workers because of recent federal changes,” said Dan Kelly, CFIB president.
“Sectors struggling with persistent labour gaps will be hit hardest if they lose access to their TFWs, leaving crucial sectors in our economy exposed at a time when Canada needs to be strengthening its economy and supply chains.”
According to CFIB’s Monthly Business Barometer, skilled labour shortages remain the second highest constraint on sales and growth for 39% of small businesses. In a 2024-2025 survey of businesses who had turned to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to meet their labour market needs, 57% said they would have to scale back their growth plans if they could not retain or have access to foreign workers and 52% would be unable to fill orders or render services. Nearly a quarter (24%) would have to reduce their hours of operation and 18% stated that it was very likely that they would have to close their operations, said the national organization, Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region.
The CFIB said many Canadians amistakenly believe employers can easily bypass local workers by hiring through the TFWP. CFIB’s snapshot proves that small business owners hire TFWs out of necessity and to fill gaps where local skilled labour isn’t available.
“Small businesses want to hire Canadians, including young Canadians and under-represented groups, but these jobs may depend on a specific skill they cannot find. In fact, the share of youth working in many of the sectors where TFWs are employed, such as agriculture or manufacturing, remains extremely low,” said Kelly. “In some cases, without the specialized TFWs, there are fewer jobs for Canadians. This is why access to TFWs remains important.”
To prevent disruptions and keep supply chains moving, CFIB urges the federal government to:
• Facilitate the retention of TFWs already in Canada through a grandfathering clause; • Provide a pathway to permanent residency for lower-skilled TFWs who have maintained their legal status, acquired work experience in Canada, and paid taxes; • Implement an appeals process if a TFW application is denied; • Reduce the program’s administrative burden; and, • Consult employers and the business community in advance of future reforms.
Corinne Pohlmann
“Businesses and their employees need stability. Many of these work permit holders, including TFWs, are already integrated in, and contributing to, their communities. Immigration policies must respond to economic needs and so now is not the time to make things even harder for small businesses and their employees. Government needs to deliver on a concrete plan to ensure workforce stability,” said Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice-President of Advocacy at CFIB.
A Specsavers Canada store (CNW Group/Specsavers Canada Inc.)
Specsavers Canada, Inc. announced Wednesday the appointment of Jane Hoban as Managing Director effective March 1. The appointment comes as Specsavers marks five years of operations in Canada, growing from its first location in B.C. to more than 270 stores across nine provinces and one territory, said the company.
As Managing Director, Specsavers said Hoban is setting the direction for the next phase of ambitious growth, expanding the organization’s reach to serve millions more Canadians and driving forward an objective to make it the number one provider of eyewear and eyecare in Canada.
Through Hoban’s visionary leadership, she is focused on accelerating the company’s purpose to change lives through better sight with a commitment to bringing high-quality and accessible eyecare to more Canadians, said the brand.
Jane Hoban
“I’m deeply honoured to lead Specsavers Canada at such an exciting inflection point,” said Hoban. “In just five years, the Canadian team has made significant strides in our mission to change lives through better sight, supporting over a million Canadians, and making quality eyecare accessible with more than 270 stores across the country.”
Still, too many Canadians face barriers to proper eyecare, whether due to cost, convenience or simply not understanding the importance of regular comprehensive exams, said the company.
“This is the opportunity ahead: continue to expand and strengthen the awareness of our brand and unique offering in Canada, while building on our strong Partner network to join us in the next chapter of our transformational growth journey,” added Hoban.
“Building on the success of the first five years in Canada, we are well-positioned to drive the business forward and I’m excited to work alongside our incredible optometry and retail Partners, store teams, and corporate colleagues to shape the future of Specsavers in Canada.”
She joins Specsavers Canada from the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) business, where she most recently served as Trading Director, leading product, marketing, PR and e-commerce. During her seven-year tenure with Specsavers ANZ, she held progressive leadership roles including Director of Marketing and Director of Trading Development, helping drive significant growth and market penetration across the region.
“With more than 20 years of experience across retail, fast-moving consumer goods and consumer marketing, Jane brings a wealth of strategic brand building and operational expertise to her new role,” said the company.
“Prior to Specsavers, she served as Global Marketing Director at Unilever for T2 Tea, where she led marketing strategy across all channels and markets. Jane held several other senior leadership roles within Unilever, including Vice President for Global Drug Channel & AS Watson and Customer Marketing Director in Singapore. She also served as Marketing Director at The Body Shop, Asia Pacific, where she was an Executive Board Member. In that role, she was responsible for strategic oversight and brand governance across 15 markets, championing market-specific retail growth strategies and category innovation.
“Jane holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management and Marketing from Swinburne University of Technology and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.”
Photo: Specsavers Canada
Since entering the Canadian market in 2021, Specsavers said it has rapidly expanded to become one of the country’s leading optical providers, with locations across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador and Yukon. The optical retailer opened more than 130 new stores in 2025 alone.
Bill Moir (Image: Specsavers Canada)
Bill Moir had been Managing Director of Specsavers Canada and now joins the Global team in a new role as Chief Customer Officer.
“Jane’s appointment represents an important milestone in Specsavers’ Canadian journey,” said Moir. “Her proven business acumen combined with her deep understanding of the Specsavers model, makes her the ideal leader for our next chapter. I’m confident that under Jane’s leadership, Specsavers will continue advancing our mission to make quality eyecare accessible to all Canadians.”
Founded in the UK over 40 years ago by optometrist husband-and-wife team, Doug and Mary Perkins, there are now more than 2,700 Specsavers healthcare businesses globally, serving over 44 million patients and customers.
“After identifying suspicious activity on a contained, non-critical part of its IT network, the Company has determined that a criminal third-party accessed some basic customer information such as names, phone numbers, and email addresses,” said the company in a news release.
“As part of its security response protocol, the Company secured its network and customer information. All customers will be automatically logged out of their accounts. To access the Company’s digital services, customers will need to log back in. Loblaw’s current investigation indicates that passwords, health information and credit card data were not compromised. The investigation also indicates that PC Financial was not impacted by this breach.”
Loblaw Companies Limited is Canada’s food and pharmacy leader, as well as its largest retailer and private sector employer with more than 220,000 colleagues across the country.
If you spend enough time in a grocery store these days, you will notice something that would have been unusual not long ago: shoppers pushing carts in pajama pants.
What once felt like a social faux pas is quietly becoming normal. Pajama bottoms, flannel lounge pants and slippers have become part of what could be called the new “errand uniform.” And while it may seem trivial, consumer behavior — even clothing choices — often reveals deeper economic shifts.
Recent surveys suggest that attitudes toward wearing sleepwear in public have changed dramatically. A recent survey found that 41% of adults under 45 consider it acceptable to wear pajamas or sleepwear for quick outdoor tasks such as grocery shopping, compared with only 18% of people over 65.
The numbers highlight a stark generational divide: younger consumers prioritize comfort and convenience, while older generations still associate public spaces with a degree of formality.
At first glance, the “pajama grocery run” may seem like a harmless social trend. But it reflects a much broader transformation in how people shop for food.
First, grocery trips are becoming shorter and more frequent. With online shopping, curbside pickup and highly localized retail networks, many consumers no longer plan large weekly grocery runs. Instead, they stop by the store quickly to pick up a few items. When a trip takes ten minutes, social formality tends to disappear.
Second, the pandemic permanently reshaped how people dress. Remote work normalized casual clothing throughout the day. When millions of people began working from home, the boundary between “home life” and “public life” blurred. The grocery store became an extension of the living room.
Third, inflation has changed the psychology of food shopping. Consumers today are more cautious, more strategic and more price-sensitive. Instead of treating grocery shopping as a planned outing, many people now make quick trips to chase discounts or replace specific items. Convenience often trumps appearance.
The pajama trend also signals something important about modern food retail: grocery stores are no longer destinations — they are utilities.
The traditional grocery trip used to resemble a social activity. Families would dress, drive to a supermarket, walk the aisles and browse. Today, many stores function more like infrastructure. Consumers want efficiency, speed and low friction.
Retailers are responding accordingly. Self-checkout stations, app-based promotions and ready-to-eat foods all reduce the time shoppers spend inside stores. When the goal is speed, wardrobe becomes irrelevant.
There are also subtle implications for retail economics. If shoppers increasingly treat grocery visits as quick errands, they are less likely to browse aisles or discover new products. That reduces impulse purchases — a major driver of grocery margins. The pajama shopper may also be the efficiency shopper, entering the store with a list, grabbing a few items and leaving quickly.
This behavioral shift could also influence store design. Grocers may prioritize smaller formats, faster checkouts and stronger digital promotions over elaborate in-store merchandising designed to encourage browsing.
There is also a generational element at play. Younger consumers are less concerned about public dress codes but highly focused on value and convenience. For them, grocery stores compete not just with other grocers but with delivery apps, meal kits and convenience stores.
If grabbing milk takes five minutes, pajamas are perfectly rational attire.
Some observers may interpret the trend as a sign of declining social standards. Economists tend to see it differently. Clothing choices are often signals of deeper lifestyle changes — time pressure, remote work and evolving consumer priorities.
In today’s grocery economy, efficiency is the new fashion.
Rana Abdelmonem, Public Relations & Marketing Manager, Horizon Healthcare; Jon Johnson, CEO of Pharmacy Brands Canada; Horizon Healthcare Co-Founders Karim Atta, Dr. Ahmed Abdelmoneim, and Janak Patel; and Sarah MacDonald, Ted Matsikas, Curtis Fabian, and Jeff Schlotter of Pharmacy Brands Canada, at Horizon Pharmacy & Medical Clinic in Edmonton. (CNW Group/Pharmacy Brands Canada)
The partnership will see Horizon Pharmacy operate within the centre as part of an integrated healthcare model that brings together multiple providers and services in one location.
The Covenant Community Health Centre was designed to serve diverse communities in south Edmonton by offering community-based care that brings a range of health services together under one roof. The model is intended to help patients navigate complex healthcare needs by improving coordination among providers.
Pharmacy Brands Canada was selected as the centre’s strategic partner following what the organizations described as a competitive selection process. The company will support Horizon Pharmacy as it works alongside Horizon Healthcare’s on-site medical clinic, infusion services and home healthcare programs.
The location is intended to link prescribing and dispensing in real time, allowing healthcare providers within the centre to communicate more closely and coordinate patient care.
Pharmacy Brands Canada photo
Horizon Healthcare was founded by pharmacists Janak Patel, Dr. Ahmed Abdelmoneim and Karim Atta with the aim of expanding the role of community pharmacy within broader healthcare delivery.
Patel, pharmacist and co-founder of Horizon Healthcare, said the partnership provides operational backing as the organization builds its integrated care approach.
“Partnering with Pharmacy Brands Canada gives us the operational strength to build something truly different for our community,” said Patel. “Their support allows our clinical team to focus on delivering personalized, collaborative care while maintaining the independence and accessibility that matter most to our patients.”
For Pharmacy Brands Canada, the partnership reflects its focus on supporting independent pharmacy operators while enabling them to participate in evolving healthcare delivery models.
“Horizon Pharmacy represents an innovative model for community-focused primary care, and we are proud to support them,” said Johnson. “Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to meet the growing healthcare needs of Canadians. By providing the operational and strategic foundation behind the scenes, we enable the Horizon team to focus fully on caring for their patients and the community.”
Jon Johnson
The partnership places Horizon Pharmacy within a broader care team at the Covenant Community Health Centre, where pharmacy services operate alongside medical, infusion and home healthcare programs.
The organizations say the structure allows pharmacists and other healthcare providers to work more closely together while reducing potential gaps between prescribing medications and dispensing them.
The integrated care model is designed to strengthen communication among providers and improve coordination of services for patients accessing care through the centre.
Pharmacy Brands Canada operates a national pharmacy banner program representing more than 280 independently owned pharmacies across the country.
Horizon Healthcare is an Edmonton-based healthcare organization focused on integrated pharmacy and clinical services. The company operates within community-based healthcare settings.
Today’s Retail Insider articles include Montreal-based Leyad’s acquisition of Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster, reinforcing mid-sized market retail hubs. Canadian home improvement spending is shifting toward affluent and diverse populations, shaping renovation demand and retail strategies. Also, Kettlemans Bagel targets franchising growth by pivoting to sandwich sales, reflecting evolving foodservice trends.
T&T Supermarket is opening a new store in Erin Mills, Mississauga, located between Dundas St. W and Hwy 403.
T&T Supermarkets is the largest Asian supermarket chain in Canada, operating over 39 stores across Canada and the United States. The stores are located in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Washington. T&T Supermarkets was founded in Vancouver in 1993 and is now led by second generation successor and CEO, Tina Lee. T&T Supermarkets is headquartered in Richmond, BC, with offices in Toronto and Los Angeles.
“We’ve been looking to serve the Oakville community for a while now, and we have finally found a great location that will do that and more. Right now, we have customers on the west end driving over 30 mins to shop at our T&T at Central Parkway. With this new T&T, we’ll be able to serve not only Oakville, but also Milton, Burlington and beyond.
Store highlights:
Grand Opening on April 9 (Thursday), at 3060 Ridgeway Dr, Mississauga
Doors open to public at 9 a.m.
Store size is 40,000 square feet
This location will help serve customers across Halton Region
Store opens 7 days a week, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
There will be various performances including lion dance, and exclusive items only found in the supermarket
The store is bringing food offerings that fans know and love, including self-serve hot food, sushi, PaPa Chicken, Egg Tart and more!
An entrance to Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster, AB. Photo: Fillmore Construction
Montreal-based real estate investment and development firm Leyad has expanded its growing portfolio of Canadian shopping centres with the acquisition of Lloyd Mall, a dominant regional retail property serving communities across eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan.
The transaction represents another step in Leyad’s rapid expansion across Western Canada. Over the past two years, the company has emerged as one of the country’s most active buyers of regional shopping centres, targeting assets anchored by grocery, pharmacy, and discount retailers that generate consistent foot traffic.
“Lloyd Mall fits squarely within our strategy of investing in high-quality retail assets that provide essential goods and services to their communities,” said Henry Zavriyev, CEO of Leyad. “Grocery and pharmacy anchored centres now represent our highest-grossing tenant category, and this acquisition further strengthens that segment of our portfolio.”
Henry Zavriyev
The purchase continues a string of high-profile acquisitions by the Montreal firm as it builds a national retail platform centered on necessity-based shopping centres and regional hubs.
Regional Shopping Centre Serving Two Provinces
Lloyd Mall occupies a unique position within the retail landscape of Western Canada. Located in the border city of Lloydminster, the property functions as the only enclosed shopping centre serving a broad regional trade area that spans eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan.
The mall encompasses more than 200,000 square feet of gross leasable area and serves an estimated regional population of roughly 195,000 residents. For decades, the centre has acted as both a commercial hub and a social gathering place for the surrounding region.
The acquisition also reflects the strategic advantages associated with Lloydminster’s location. Because the city straddles the provincial boundary, shoppers often cross the border for purchases depending on taxation and pricing differences. The mall itself is located on the Alberta side of the boundary, a factor that has historically attracted shoppers from Saskatchewan communities seeking to avoid provincial sales tax on certain purchases.
Retailers at the centre benefit from a catchment area that extends well beyond the city itself, drawing customers from surrounding agricultural communities and energy-sector towns across the Prairie region.
Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster AB. Image: Leyad
Anchored by National Retail Brands
Lloyd Mall is anchored by several major national retailers that form the foundation of the centre’s tenant mix. Key anchors include Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, Urban Planet, and Dollarama.
These anchors reflect the type of tenant lineup that Leyad has increasingly targeted in its acquisitions. Grocery stores, pharmacies, and value-oriented retailers are widely viewed as resilient retail categories that continue to attract frequent customer visits regardless of broader economic cycles.
The mall also includes a mix of fashion and lifestyle retailers such as Bath & Body Works, La Vie en Rose, Boathouse, and Quarks.
According to information released with the transaction, the property is currently approximately 93 percent occupied, with a weighted average lease term of about 6.7 years across the tenant roster.
One of the few remaining vacancies is a roughly 7,000-square-foot space in a 40,000 square foot box formerly occupied by Sears Canada, which liquidated in 2017. Leyad has indicated that leasing efforts are underway to backfill the remaining space.
The centre underwent a significant renovation in 2021 that modernized the property and repositioned its tenant mix.
The renovation emphasized necessity-based retail and everyday services. During this process, Safeway and Shoppers Drug Mart were relocated into larger, more modern store formats designed to anchor the centre and drive regular visits.
Lifestyle brands such as Bath & Body Works and Urban Planet were also introduced as part of the repositioning strategy, helping diversify the retail mix and attract younger consumers.
The renovation represented a structural transformation rather than a cosmetic upgrade. Mall interiors were redesigned, common areas refreshed, and tenant layouts reconfigured to align with evolving consumer expectations. These improvements have positioned Lloyd Mall as a modern regional shopping centre capable of competing with both power centres and e-commerce alternatives.
Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster AB. Image: Lloyd Mall
A Shopping Centre with a Five-Decade History
Lloyd Mall has played an important role in the retail history of the border region for more than half a century.
The mall opened on July 20, 1973, with Hudson’s Bay Company as its dominant anchor tenant. From the outset, the mall was envisioned as the central gathering place for residents across the region. Because it was the only enclosed shopping centre within hundreds of kilometres, it quickly became a hub for retail, entertainment, and community events.
A major expansion in 1979 introduced new anchors including Zellers, while later changes saw portions of the property converted to accommodate Safeway and Sears.
Like many malls across Canada, Lloyd Mall was significantly affected by the closure of Sears Canada in 2017. The liquidation left a 40,000 square foot vacancy that forced owners to reconsider the role of department stores within the property.
In the years that followed, management pursued a strategy focused on smaller fashion retailers, services, and everyday necessities rather than relying on large department store anchors.
Historical photo of Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster, AB
Community Role Beyond Retail
Although Lloyd Mall is primarily known as a shopping centre, the property has also become an important community destination.
A notable addition in recent years was the relocation of the Lloydminster Public Library into the mall. The move was designed to increase foot traffic while providing residents with a modern, accessible civic facility.
The presence of a library within the centre reinforces the mall’s role as a community hub rather than simply a retail property. Residents visit not only to shop but also to access public services, meet friends, and participate in local events.
This blend of retail and civic uses reflects a broader trend in Canadian shopping centres, where landlords increasingly incorporate public amenities and services to maintain relevance in the digital age.
Part of Leyad’s Growing National Retail Portfolio
The Leyad Lloyd Mall acquisition forms part of a broader strategy that has seen the company acquire several major retail properties across Canada since 2024.
Among the most significant transactions was the February 2026 purchase of St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg for $160.5 million. The nearly one-million-square-foot shopping centre ranks among the most prominent malls in Manitoba and represents a major addition to Leyad’s portfolio.
In 2025, the company also acquired St. Albert Centre in St. Albert and Londonderry Mall in Edmonton.
Another major acquisition occurred in Ontario with the purchase of Pen Centre in St. Catharines, a property exceeding one million square feet that has significant long-term redevelopment potential.
The company has also assembled a retail portfolio in Prince Albert through the acquisition of Cornerstone Shopping Centre and South Hill Mall.
These deals illustrate a consistent strategy focused on dominant regional retail assets in mid-sized Canadian markets.
Lloyd Mall in Lloydminster AB. Image: CommercialCafe
A Focus on Necessity-Based Retail
Leyad’s approach to retail real estate emphasizes properties anchored by essential goods and services.
Executives have often described this model as a combination of grocery, pharmacy, and discount retail. These categories generate frequent consumer visits and remain resilient even during economic downturns.
For Lloyd Mall, the presence of Safeway, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Dollarama represents a strong foundation for this strategy.
The company has also demonstrated an ability to reposition underutilized retail spaces. At Londonderry Mall in Edmonton, for example, Leyad filled a floor in a former Hudson’s Bay space with a large standalone Zellers store following the brand’s revival by a Canadian ownership group.
Direct Management and Data-Driven Operations
Another distinctive aspect of Leyad’s strategy is its approach to property management.
Unlike some institutional owners that outsource management responsibilities to third-party firms, Leyad has increasingly moved operations in-house. As part of the Lloyd Mall acquisition, the company confirmed it will assume management responsibilities directly from BentallGreenOak.
This approach allows Leyad to implement its own technology systems and operational strategies across its properties.
According to company information, Leyad uses proprietary analytics tools to analyze shopper behaviour, including foot traffic patterns, dwell time, and movement throughout retail environments. These insights can help inform leasing decisions, tenant placement, and marketing strategies.
By maintaining direct control over management, the firm aims to move quickly when opportunities arise to improve tenant mix or reconfigure retail space.
Retail Momentum Building in Lloydminster
The acquisition of Lloyd Mall also coincides with a period of significant retail investment in Lloydminster itself.
One of the most closely watched developments is the confirmed arrival of Costco Wholesale, which is currently constructing a new store in the southwest portion of the city.
The warehouse club is expected to occupy approximately 160,000 square feet on a 20-acre site and will include a gas bar and liquor outlet. Municipal permits were approved in 2025, and groundwork is already underway.
Local officials have described the Costco project as transformative for the region’s retail landscape. Once completed, the store is expected to attract shoppers from across a broad geographic area, further strengthening Lloydminster’s role as a regional retail destination.
Other developments include renovations to the former Canadian Tire building, which is being subdivided into multiple retail units, and expansions at the nearby Cornerstone retail power centre anchored by Walmart and Sobeys.
