“We delivered net revenue of $812 million in the second quarter of Fiscal 2026, a 32% increase compared to last year. Comparable sales grew 22%, with double-digit growth in all channels and all geographies, led by our United States eCommerce business. Our performance was fueled by robust demand for our high-quality beautiful products, including an outstanding response to our Fall launch, as well as our strong inventory position, strategic marketing investments and new boutique openings. Exceptional strength in the United States continued to drive our results, as net revenue increased 41%, underscoring the growing awareness of the Aritzia brand and affinity for Everyday Luxury,” said Jennifer Wong, Chief Executive Officer. “In addition, we generated meaningful gross profit margin expansion and SG&A leverage, resulting in growth in adjusted net income per diluted share of over 180%.”
“Our broad-based momentum has continued into the third quarter of Fiscal 2026, driven by the ongoing positive response to our product and strong execution across our three strategic growth levers – geographic expansion, digital growth and increased brand awareness. We remain agile as we navigate tariff-related developments from a position of strength. The momentum in our business, our proven operating model and our healthy balance sheet give us confidence in our path forward as we capitalize on our vast opportunity for growth in the United States and beyond.”
Second Quarter Highlights
For Q2 2026, compared to Q2 2025:
Net revenue increased 31.9% to $812.1 million, with comparable sales growth of 21.6%
United States net revenue increased 40.7% to $486.1 million, comprising 59.9% of net revenue
Retail net revenue increased 34.3% to $571.7 million
eCommerce net revenue increased 26.5% to $240.3 million, comprising 29.6% of net revenue
Gross profit margin increased 360 bps to 43.8% from 40.2%
Selling, general and administrative expenses as a percentage of net revenue decreased 160 bps to 30.8% from 32.4%
Adjusted EBITDAincreased 122.5% to $122.7 million. Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net revenue increased 610 bps to 15.1% from 9.0%
Net income increased 263.4% to $66.3 million, or 8.2% from 3.0% as a percentage of net revenue. Net income per diluted share increased 250.0% to $0.56 per share, compared to $0.16 per share in Q2 2025
Adjusted Net Income increased 184.6% to $69.8 million. Adjusted Net Incomeper Diluted Share increased 181.0% to $0.59 per share, compared to $0.21 per share in Q2 2025
Based on quarter-to-date trends, Aritzia expects net revenue in the range of $875 million to $900 million, representing growth of approximately 20% to 24%. The Company expects gross profit margin to be approximately flat and SG&A as a percentage of net revenue to also be approximately flat for the third quarter of Fiscal 2026 compared to the third quarter of Fiscal 2025.
Ecommerce Trends: AI, AR, and Sustainability Shaping Retail
In an era defined by digital acceleration, it has become increasingly easy to make broad assumptions about how consumers live, communicate, and shop. Smartphones feel almost mandatory, information flows instantly, and digital tools now sit at the center of daily life. For retailers, the parallel assumption is clear. To remain relevant, businesses believe they must follow their customers online, invest in ecommerce, and expand digital capabilities as quickly as possible.
Yet conversations with retailers, technology partners, and industry leaders at the eTail Canada conference in fall 2025 reinforced an important reality. While ecommerce is undeniably essential, the path to digital success is neither universal nor automatic. The decision to invest time, capital, and organizational energy into ecommerce requires thoughtful consideration, strategic clarity, and a strong understanding of both brand and customer.
Most retailers today already operate online. If they were not digitally enabled prior to the pandemic, they almost certainly are now. Store closures, supply chain disruptions, and shifting consumer behavior accelerated ecommerce adoption at an unprecedented pace. This surge created meaningful growth opportunities, but it also introduced risk. Too many businesses equated being online with being successful online, without fully defining what digital should achieve for their brand.
The reality is that there are multiple paths to ecommerce success, and none of them begin with technology alone.
Ecommerce as an Expansion of the Brand Ecosystem
One of the most consistent themes that emerged from discussions at eTail Canada was the pressure small and mid-sized retailers feel to keep pace with larger competitors. Without the same resources, teams, or budgets, many rush into digital investments driven by fear of being left behind. Unfortunately, these investments often fail to improve efficiency, enhance customer experience, or generate meaningful returns.
Ecommerce should never be treated as a standalone initiative. Putting products online is not a finish line, it is an expansion of a brand’s ecosystem. Digital channels extend how customers discover, engage with, and purchase from a brand. They also play a critical role in enabling a cohesive omnichannel experience.
To build this ecosystem effectively, retailers must first define who they are as a brand and what experience they aim to deliver. Equally important is a deep understanding of their customer. Without clarity on these fundamentals, any digital investment risks becoming disconnected from the business and the people it serves.
When retailers align digital strategy with brand identity and customer expectations, ecommerce becomes a powerful amplifier rather than a costly experiment.
Understanding the Customer Before Choosing the Channel
The digital layer of a retail ecosystem can take many forms. A brand may sell directly through its website, activate social commerce, leverage third-party marketplaces, or adopt a hybrid approach. Fulfillment options continue to expand as well, ranging from home delivery and buy online pickup in store, to curbside pickup and ship-from-store models.
Each of these options can enhance customer experience, but only when they align with how customers prefer to shop and engage. Retailers cannot be everywhere at once, nor should they try to be. The most successful brands are intentional about where they show up and how they deliver value.
Understanding the customer allows retailers to make informed decisions about which channels to prioritize and which services to offer. Where do customers already spend their time online. How do they prefer to interact with the brand. What level of convenience, speed, or personalization do they expect.
Answering these questions helps retailers build a focused digital ecosystem that works in harmony with physical stores and other touchpoints, rather than competing against them.
Building Digitally With Purpose and Patience
Developing a digital strategy should always begin with the customer at the center. This principle came through clearly in conversations at eTail Canada, particularly among retailers who have successfully navigated digital transformation without overextending their organizations.
Customer data plays an important role in shaping this journey. Even basic insights can inform smarter decisions, allowing retailers to evolve their ecosystem over time as behaviors and expectations change. However, digital maturity does not happen overnight. Building, refining, and optimizing an ecommerce operation is a multi-year process.
Retailers do not need to launch every capability at once. Progress comes from identifying where improvements will have the greatest impact and focusing efforts there. Incremental enhancements, tested and refined over time, often lead to stronger outcomes than large-scale rollouts driven by urgency alone.
Being online is no longer optional. Understanding why you are online, what you are building, and who you are building it for is what separates meaningful growth from costly missteps. For small and mid-sized retailers especially, ecommerce success is a journey taken one step at a time.
The goal is not complexity. The goal is consistency. Customers expect seamless movement between channels, clear brand experiences, and frictionless shopping journeys. Retailers that deliver on those expectations will earn loyalty, trust, and long-term growth in an increasingly competitive digital marketplace.
Silverts, the Canadian-based leader in adaptive apparel, has acquired IZ Adaptive, the award-winning brand founded by Toronto designer Izzy Camilleri. It’s a move that brings together two of the country’s most influential names in inclusive fashion.
Under the transaction, IZ Adaptive retains its brand identity and dedicated website, while Silverts assumes leadership of sourcing, supply chain, and distribution. Camilleri becomes Chief Design Officer for both labels, an appointment that signals a stronger design-led future for adaptive apparel in North America. “Izzy is truly the best designer of adaptive clothing in the world,” said Joshua Norris, General Manager of Silverts and now the company’s President and CEO, who called the acquisition “an opportunity to really make fashionable, great clothing,” and a platform to “serve the entirety of the market.”
Joshua Norris
The combined business arrives at a turning point for inclusive retail in Canada. With demographic pressures from an ageing population, a growing cohort of younger customers living with disabilities, and rising caregiver needs, demand for adaptive solutions is expanding in both community and institutional settings. The acquisition also lands as Silverts celebrates its ninety-fifth year, under independent Canadian management, with an operational footprint now calibrated for speed and scale on both sides of the border.
A Canadian legacy meets a Canadian pioneer
Founded in Ontario in 1930 as a small chain of department stores, Silverts gradually shifted its focus as its customers aged and new dressing challenges emerged. Norris described a moment that crystallized the company’s purpose. “One of our customers had trouble raising their arms. It was like, I can’t even put on my shirt anymore,” he said. “The old owner cut up the back of a dress, wrapped it around, and put it on. That is how adaptive clothing in our world was born.” From there, Silverts began supplying nursing homes and hospitals, then expanded into direct-to-consumer e-commerce, with distribution in Canada and the United States.
PHOTO: IZ ADAPTIVE
Camilleri, whose work has ranged from high fashion to film wardrobe, entered adaptive design nearly two decades ago after meeting Toronto Star journalist Barbara Turnbull, a wheelchair user who sought a garment suited to her needs. “I had no idea this category existed,” Camilleri said. “I became a sponge working with her, enlightened by her issues and inspired by them.” She launched IZ Adaptive in 2009, producing wardrobe essentials such as jeans, chinos, and T-shirts designed for wheelchair users and others facing dressing barriers. The label quickly gained international recognition for marrying style and function, and for elevating dignity and independence through design.
Izzy Camilleri
The two paths began to entwine years ago. “IZ Adaptive was the first company I found doing something special,” said Norris, who credited Camilleri as both mentor and collaborator. The brands worked together on adaptive denim in the late 2010s, then diverged as Silverts went through ownership changes. Following a management-led buyout in late 2024 that returned Silverts to Canadian hands, Norris re-engaged Camilleri and reached a deal to reunite the businesses in early September 2025.
Strategy behind the deal
The logic is straightforward. Silverts has deep penetration among older customers and care facilities, supported by broad assortments that include tops, pants, sleepwear, intimates, outerwear, recovery wear, swimwear for hydrotherapy, and adaptive footwear. IZ Adaptive brings global design credibility and a stronger connection to younger adults and professionals who want clothing that is both functional and fashion forward. “We have long looked at how we can address the greater market, reach younger people, and serve a much broader spectrum of people with disabilities,” said Norris. “Silverts reinventing itself on its own would be a stretch. The acquisition under IZ Adaptive gives us the opportunity to deliver fashionable, great clothing and hit our next level of growth.”
Camilleri underscored the shift. “A lot of people break their back at a young age and they are not ready to dress in clothing for the elderly,” she said. “I started by creating wardrobe basics we all have, and that is still the foundation. People still want to look stylish and cool.” Her move into the Chief Design Officer role aims to infuse that sensibility across both banners, growing IZ Adaptive’s profile while elevating Silverts’ design language.
The market is larger than many think
Awareness remains the category’s biggest hurdle. “Most people just do not know adaptive clothing,” Norris said. “It solves a lot of problems that people experience with dressing.” Silverts estimates that more than eighty percent of Canadian long-term care homes purchase its products. Yet there is still significant runway in Canada and even greater opportunity in the United States. The company’s goal is to work with points of care so that adaptive clothing becomes standard practice, whether in a facility or at home with a single caregiver.
The value proposition is practical and human. Norris points to the strain injuries suffered by personal support workers and to the emotional impact of restoring independence. “We now have a magnetic closing dress shirt that allows someone to dress independently and go downstairs on their own. That is real empowerment,” he said. The feedback Silverts hears most often, he added, is, “We wish we knew about this sooner.”
Camilleri also highlighted the ecosystem around the end user. “Our end user is not our only customer,” she said. “People often buy for their parents or for an adult child with a disability. It is not just the end user purchasing, it is the network around them.” That dynamic places adaptive apparel at the crossroads of family decision making, professional caregiving, and retail discovery.
New Toronto distribution centre accelerates Canadian growth
Silverts is opening a new Canadian distribution centre in Toronto that the company says will cut shipping times across the country to two or three days, reduce costs for consumers, and increase inventory capacity for individuals, care homes, and wholesale partners.
The distribution centre is designed to remove friction for Canadian customers after years of shipping most orders from the United States. “We went live in that distribution centre the day we closed IZ Adaptive,” Norris said. “Canadians who have supported the business for ninety plus years now get their packages quickly and at a fraction of the cost.” He added that average delivery charges have been cut roughly in half compared to August, which the company views as critical heading into the holiday season when family gift giving ramps up.
By locating inventory in Toronto, Silverts expects to trim typical shipping times to two or three days, including to the West Coast. The facility increases capacity for care institutions and wholesale partners while improving the consumer experience. For customers who have waited for shipments to clear the border, the change should be visible in both speed and predictability.
PHOTO: IZ ADAPTIVE
Product innovation meets lived experience
Silverts and IZ Adaptive both emphasise everyday solutions that reduce pain points. That ranges from magnetic closures and easy on and off silhouettes to open-back garments that make assisted dressing faster and less taxing. The footwear category continues to be a focus, particularly for customers managing daily fluctuation in swelling. “People with swollen feet will go up in size to fit their shoes, which can increase risks of slips and falls,” Norris said. “We make sure footwear accommodates swelling so the fit stays proper, which supports safety.”
Beyond core categories, the brands have moved into recovery wear for post-surgical needs and swimwear that recognises the realities of hydrotherapy. “Putting on and taking off a soaking wet bathing suit is no easy task,” said Norris. “The easier we can make dressing, the better we can support our clients.” Camilleri, for her part, brings decades of pattern cutting and materials experience to ensure garments sit correctly when seated and avoid pressure points that can cause discomfort.
Demographics, dignity, and design
The acquisition also speaks to generational change. The younger end of the baby boom cohort is dressing more casually and fashionably, and many are not ready to adopt garments that read clinical. “They still want to look stylish,” Camilleri said. “The blending of our offering helps those who may not be entering long-term care, yet need adaptive clothing that reflects how they see themselves.” That nuance is central to IZ Adaptive’s brand DNA and is now a shared priority across the combined business.
At the same time, Silverts is leaning into the realities of the sandwich generation, where adult children support ageing parents while raising families of their own. Purchasing pathways are complex, with decision makers ranging from spouses and relatives to care workers and administrators. The company sees its role as meeting people where they are, whether through e-commerce, institutional ordering, or community-based retail.
Brick and mortar touchpoints return
While both brands are digitally native, the company plans to reintroduce in-person touchpoints. “We will be building a showroom at the IZ Adaptive offices, a place to serve our community directly and learn from them,” Norris said. The move acknowledges that fabric feel, fit, and sensory considerations matter, especially for customers with specific mobility or sensory needs. Trying on footwear, for example, can be complex when braces or orthotics are involved. A dedicated space offers education, consultation, and the opportunity to refine product based on real-time feedback.
That physical presence also dovetails with a broader conversation in Canadian retail about the value of bricks and mortar for discovery and brand building. In adaptive apparel, where use cases are personal and detailed, the ability to demonstrate solutions in person can accelerate adoption.
PHOTO: IZ ADAPTIVE
Operational momentum after a reset
Silverts navigated a significant corporate reset over the past two years. The business was previously owned by Careismatic Brands, which filed for bankruptcy protection in January 2024. Norris and a group of employees subsequently led a buyout to return Silverts to Canadian control. That transition, completed late in 2024, set the stage for renewed investment in product, service, and infrastructure. In February 2025, Silverts marked its ninety-fifth anniversary and outlined a plan to relaunch paused initiatives, including targeted programmes for care facilities across North America.
The acquisition of IZ Adaptive in September 2025 builds on that momentum, pairing operational depth with design leadership, and anchoring both to a Canadian distribution backbone. For customers, the message is continuity and improvement. For the sector, it is a signal that Canadian firms can lead globally in inclusive design and practical innovation.
Voices at the centre of the story
Throughout the conversation, both leaders returned to the human impact of getting dressed with ease and dignity. “What Silverts does is make a small difference every day in the lives of the people who wear our clothing and those who help dress them,” Norris said. “It is really powerful in its impact.” Camilleri echoed that sentiment. “The more I learned working with Barbara Turnbull, the more compassionate I became for people with disabilities,” she said. “There was a lot of white space. People wanted basic wardrobe pieces that fit properly and looked like what everyone else wears.”
The pair also emphasised language and representation. As the category grows, they said, brands and media alike have a responsibility to use inclusive language and to listen to those with lived experience. The planned showroom and continued partnerships with advocates and creators aim to keep that feedback loop tight.
After the most recent successful AVANT (luxury concept) launch in Yorkville, Toronto, Altea Active is now expanding into the Edmonton market with the signing of a 125,000-square-foot flagship deal with Allard Developments.
Altea Active, Canada’s rapidly growing luxury fitness and wellness operator, will open this new destination in West Edmonton at the former RONA site (17303 100 Ave NW). The project represents a significant, long-term investment in Edmonton’s fitness, wellness, and retail ecosystem—and a clear vote of confidence in the city as a prime market for Altea’s integrated model, said the company.
Designed as a one-stop wellness destination, the Edmonton flagship will unite cutting-edge fitness, restorative recovery, social lounges, and indoor sport under one roof. Building on the success of Altea’s clubs in Toronto, Vancouver, Winnipeg, and Ottawa, the concept mix is expected to include boutique fitness studios (Pilates, yoga, hot yoga, HIIT, strength, cycle, boxing), women’s-only fitness spaces, cold plunge / contrast therapy, saunas and steam, dedicated recovery zones, and a robust indoor racket sport program—14 pickleball courts (including 2 championship-sized) plus 2 padel courts, explained the brand.
“Edmonton represents exactly the kind of growth market we look for—a city with strong community values, active lifestyles, and meaningful demand for premium wellness,” said Jeff York, CEO, Altea Active. “With this 125,000-sq-ft flagship, our goal is to create a wellness destination where people come together not only to work out, but to recover, socialize, and build community. This is about enhancing daily life and helping Edmontonians thrive.”
David Wu
“This Edmonton flagship reflects the next phase of our growth strategy,” added David Wu, Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer. “Following the success of AVANT in Yorkville, we’re accelerating expansion into key Canadian markets—including Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, and the GTA—bringing both flagship and luxury concepts to communities ready for elevated wellness experiences.”
From a retail real estate and urban renewal perspective, repurposing a previously vacant big-box into an activated wellness hub will introduce new daily foot traffic, extended operating hours, and diverse patronage to the node, said the company.
Altea’s presence is expected to complement surrounding retail, food, and service operators and support ongoing commercial revitalization in West Edmonton, it said.
“We’re ecstatic to partner with Altea on revitalizing the former RONA property and bringing a landmark wellness destination to West Edmonton,” said Paul Allard of Allard Developments. “This 125,000-square-foot investment underscores our commitment to community infrastructure, re-activating underutilized sites, and delivering experience-driven amenities that support healthy living across the city.”
Expansion Momentum
According to Wu, Altea’s expansion has been intentionally designed across varying size formats to adapt to different markets and real estate opportunities.
In Ottawa, Altea converted a former Canadian Tire store into a 129,000-square-foot premium wellness destination featuring six pickleball courts, a broad range of boutique fitness studios, and aquatics. Altea’s West 6th location in Vancouver occupies 45,000 square feet within an office building, demonstrating the brand’s flexibility in adapting its model to diverse urban spaces.
In Edmonton, Altea is transforming a former RONA into a 125,000-square-foot flagship wellness destination, further underscoring its ability to adapt and repurpose significant retail footprints.
In Winnipeg, Altea’s 79,677-square-foot club anchors a major retail node, reinforcing the brand’s position as both a community hub and a long-term operating partner with its U.S. REIT partner.
At the boutique end of the spectrum, AVANT by Altea in Yorkville, Toronto offers an intimate luxury concept with curated programming, expanded recovery, and spa-inspired amenities.
Wu said Altea will also start construction on the second AVANT club at Oakridge Park in Vancouver in Q1 2026, bringing the luxury concept into one of Canada’s most anticipated mixed-use developments.
He noted that the company’s growth strategy has been to work collaboratively with landlords and development partners, adapting its premium wellness model to fit seamlessly within the unique space requirements of each property. This approach, he noted, has enabled Altea to revitalize underutilized real estate while ensuring its destinations deliver maximum impact for both members and the surrounding community.
Key Highlights
• 125,000 sq ft of fitness, wellness, and social spaces
Just in time for the busiest shopping season of the year, Adopt, the fresh French retail concept known for its affordable fine fragrances and accessories, is celebrating the opening of three new stores in as many weeks—with plans to double its footprint in 2026, according to commercial real estate expert Tony Flanz.
Tony Flanz
The flurry of expansion kicked off with the late September opening of a 675-square-store at Carrefour Angrignon; followed by a 675-square-foot location at Galeries Chagnon; and, just this past weekend, a 703-square-foot store at Promenades Gatineau.
This brings to six the number of Adopt stores in Canada.
The largest perfume chain in the world made its debut in 2024 here in Canada, opening three locations in quick succession: a 629-square-foot boutique at Galeries d’Anjou in Montreal, a 616-square-foot store in Carrefour Laval and a 536-square-foot store at Place Ste-Foy in Quebec City, explained the President of Think Retail.
Think Retail is working with the Adopt team on its incredible growth trajectory in Canada.
“The plan is to open four to six new stores in 2026. In addition to Quebec, the focus will be on market debuts in Ontario and New Brunswick. Target spaces are 500 to 900 square feet in super regional malls, as well as busy commuter hubs, such as airports and train stations,” said Flanz.
“Founded in 1986 by French perfumer Dominique Monlun, this revered global brand balances sustainability, beauty and accessibility. Its well-designed and inspired spaces feature more than 100 original, joyful, feminine, masculine or mixed eaux de parfums, as well as coveted accessories, such as sprays, body creams, candles, essential oils, lip balms and skincare items.
“What we love about this brand is not only its commitment to strong core values, but also quality: Products are made to the highest standards in a beautiful production site in Cestas, near Bordeaux. Customers love it, too. The brand appeals to a wide audience of loyal customers, who look beyond one signature scent, to an array of scents that match their mood and moment.”
While internal data reveals the average customer is aged 34, 37% are ages 18 to 25, 42% are 26 to 45 and 21% are over 45 years, added Flanz.
Fairgrounds at Cloverdale Mall (Image: Fairgrounds)
Fairgrounds, the Canadian public pickleball and padel racket club, has announced the closing of its Series A financing round. The round was led by Back Forty, the first investment firm in Canada focused exclusively on the country’s consumer and retail sectors. The investment will support a nationwide expansion beginning in Fall 2025 as the brand scales its accessible, design-led clubs to meet surging demand for court space across Canada.
The Fairgrounds Canada expansion reflects a growing cultural movement around social sports and wellness. Pickleball and padel have become two of the fastest-growing recreational activities in the world, with Canadian participation rising sharply in the past two years. As demand far exceeds available courts in most markets, Fairgrounds is positioning itself as the country’s premier destination for inclusive, community-driven racket sports.
As part of the funding announcement, Tim McGuire, Co-Founder of Back Forty, will join the Fairgrounds board of directors. McGuire brings deep experience in consumer and retail leadership as the former Head of the Americas’ Retail Practice at McKinsey & Company. His background includes serving as Executive Chairman and investor in Jump+, North America’s only Apple Premier Partner retailer, and as CEO of Mobile Klinik, which he scaled from three stores to more than one hundred before leading its sale to Telus. McGuire also sits on the board of Dollar General, one of the largest U.S. retailers.
“Fairgrounds is tapping into one of the most powerful lifestyle shifts we’ve seen in Canadian recreation in decades,” said McGuire. “What excites me is not just the growth of pickleball and padel, but Fairgrounds’ ability to build clubs that people truly want to be a part of—accessible, welcoming, and designed with community in mind. We’re proud to back this team as they scale across Canada, and I’m thrilled to join the board to help bring that vision to life.”
Back Forty’s track record of backing emerging Canadian consumer brands such as Monos and Formula Fig signals a continued appetite for scalable, experience-driven businesses that combine retail, community, and hospitality elements.
Fairgrounds at Cloverdale Mall (Image: Fairgrounds)
Founders Bring Deep Retail and Experience Design Expertise
Fairgrounds was co-founded by Drummond Munro, co-founder of Superette, and Matt Rubinoff, founder of Stackt Market. Together, the pair have extensive experience in retail, placemaking, and brand strategy — skills that have proven instrumental in shaping Fairgrounds’ concept.
“Pickleball and padel may be trending right now, but Fairgrounds is taking an entirely different approach—reimagining the racket club experience from the ground up,” said Munro. “We’ve spent years building, testing, and iterating our model across multiple formats, proving that a fully owned and operated approach—not franchising—is the best way to deliver a consistent, world-class experience. As long-time leaders in this space, we’re not hopping on a trend; we’ve been at it since 2022, bringing deep consumer-retail expertise to create something truly unique for Canada’s players and communities.”
Expanding Across Canada: New Clubs from Vancouver to Ottawa
Launched in 2022, Fairgrounds has quickly built a strong foundation with six operating locations across Ontario and a growing member base of more than 60,000 players. The company’s upcoming rollout will introduce its first clubs in British Columbia and Alberta, alongside continued growth in Ontario.
Planned openings for late 2025 and early 2026 include:
Fairgrounds Capilano Mall (North Vancouver, BC)
Fairgrounds Bower Place (Red Deer, AB)
Fairgrounds Cataraqui Centre (Kingston, ON)
Fairgrounds Whitby (Whitby, ON)
Fairgrounds Centre on Barton (Hamilton, ON)
Fairgrounds Ottawa (Ottawa, ON)
Fairgrounds Kitchener (Kitchener, ON)
With 30 additional locations planned between 2025 and 2027, the Fairgrounds Canada expansion will make the company the nation’s largest racket club network by the end of 2025. Each facility combines modern court design with thoughtful amenities, positioning Fairgrounds as both a fitness destination and a social hub.
Fairgrounds at Cloverdale Mall (Image: Fairgrounds)
Design-Led Spaces and Community-Driven Programming
Each Fairgrounds club is designed with a strong emphasis on community, inclusivity, and play. The facilities feature tournament-level pickleball and padel courts, integrated social lounges, and curated retail spaces offering gear and apparel. Upcoming flagship sites, including Toronto’s Leaside location, showcase how Fairgrounds is transforming underused real estate into dynamic “third spaces” for recreation and connection.
The Leaside flagship, opening in mid-2025, will span approximately 55,000 square feet, featuring 13 pickleball courts, four padel courts, a full-service restaurant and bar, sauna, retail shop, and children’s programs. Similar adaptive reuse concepts are being rolled out in Hamilton and Kingston, each designed to activate community gathering spaces through design, sport, and social experiences.
Fairgrounds also offers coaching, beginner leagues, and drop-in sessions to accommodate all skill levels. Its programming encourages players to connect through events, tournaments, and clinics, supporting both casual and competitive play.
Building a New Kind of Club Experience
What sets Fairgrounds apart is its consumer-retail lens on club design and operations. The founders’ backgrounds in retail and experiential development have inspired a model that integrates sport with lifestyle, aligning with a broader trend toward socially driven fitness.
Fairgrounds’ approach removes traditional barriers often associated with private clubs, such as initiation fees, restrictive dress codes, and rigid membership structures, making it an accessible space for everyone. The company’s emphasis on inclusivity and well-being is reflected in its “free-to-join” model, encouraging participation without exclusivity.
Its hybrid retail-sport model also introduces opportunities for brand collaborations, on-site product testing, and community activations. By integrating curated retail within its spaces, Fairgrounds is demonstrating how retail can intersect with active leisure.
Image: Fairgrounds
Back Forty’s Role in Scaling Canadian Consumer Brands
For Back Forty, the Fairgrounds investment represents another milestone in its mission to scale homegrown Canadian consumer businesses. The Toronto-based investment firm, formerly known as Venn Consumer, focuses exclusively on the retail and consumer space, investing in brands that demonstrate strong unit economics and exceptional customer experience.
The firm partners closely with founders, providing capital and operational expertise to accelerate growth. Beyond financial support, Back Forty offers strategic guidance in retail optimization, brand expansion, and customer engagement — capabilities that will be central to the Fairgrounds Canada expansion.
McGuire’s addition to the Fairgrounds board ensures alignment between investment strategy and execution, leveraging his extensive background in retail leadership and scaling operations.
Skip has launched a new national advertising campaign featuring Canadian actor and comedian Seth Rogen to highlight the delivery company’s expanded retail lineup and commitment to convenience.
The campaign, titled Skip to the Good Part, showcases the brand’s broadened offerings beyond restaurant delivery to include pharmacy, pet, beauty, and other everyday essentials.
The new ad, directed by Rogen and his longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg, began airing across Canada on Oct. 8. It features Rogen in a series of comedic movie brainstorming sessions, which are interrupted when Skip conveniently resolves the problem with a delivery solution. The ad was co-produced by production companies Caviar and Spy Films.
Seth Rogen for Skip (CNW Group/Skip)
“Evan and I always have a lot of fun being a part of a campaign that allows us to run with an idea,” said Rogen. “It’s an added bonus when we can create moments that feel relatable and unmistakably Canadian.”
The company said the collaboration reflects its Canada-first promise and builds on the momentum of last year’s brand refresh, which included a shortened name and a new platform.
Seth Rogen for Skip (CNW Group/Skip)
“Seth not only starred in the new ad spot, but played a key role in the creative development and storyboarding of this concept,” the company said in the release.
Rogen, who is known for embracing Canadian food culture, also shared some of his favourite snacks featured in the campaign, including poutine, ketchup chips and donair.
Rachel MacAdam
“No one captures Canadian spirit and humour quite like Seth Rogen,” said Rachel MacAdam, Vice President of Marketing at Skip. “His love for food, Canadian culture and his ability to find comedy in everyday moments makes him the perfect collaborator to help tell this story in the most impactful way, as we enter an exciting new chapter for Skip.”
The campaign includes long-form, 30-second and 15-second ad spots airing on TV and digital platforms.
Founded in 2012, Skip now operates in more than 450 communities across Canada and connects users with over 50,000 local restaurant, grocery, convenience and retail partners.
Restaurants Canada has issued a strong statement warning that British Columbia’s foodservice sector is approaching a crisis point as the provincial liquor strike stretches into a sixth week. The association is urging the B.C. government and the BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) to reach an agreement without delay or, failing that, to permit licensed restaurants and bars to temporarily purchase alcohol from private liquor stores so they can continue serving customers.
The strike has cut off a critical part of the supply chain for hospitality operators. With government-run liquor and cannabis outlets behind picket lines and limited purchase allowances at select open locations, many businesses report rapidly dwindling inventories and disrupted service.
Alcohol sales are a key margin driver for many restaurants and bars. Restaurants Canada notes that 41 percent of operators are currently operating at a loss or just breaking even, leaving little room to absorb further shocks. The association warns that restricting access to alcohol for licensed establishments, while retail consumers can still purchase for home use, risks tipping some small businesses into closure.
The stakes extend well beyond individual venues. The foodservice sector in British Columbia employs approximately 183,000 people, many of them youth and early-career workers. Prolonged disruption, the association says, threatens jobs and the broader hospitality ecosystem, from restaurants and pubs to caterers, hotels and event venues.
Mark von Schellwitz, Vice-President for Western Canada at Restaurants Canada, stated: “We need to see the BC government and the BCGEU reach a mutual agreement, but foodservice businesses can’t continue bearing the burden of this strike. If the BC government can’t find a solution to allow foodservice businesses to purchase alcohol, either from BC Liquor or from private liquor stores, it needs to consider back to work legislation.”
This reflects the association’s immediate priorities: a negotiated settlement, near-term access to product to keep businesses open, and, as a last resort, legislative intervention.
How We Got Here
The strike began in early September after talks between the province and the BCGEU broke down over wages and cost-of-living adjustments. Initial actions were limited, but by October 8 all government-run liquor and cannabis outlets were closed. The union has called for a general wage increase of four percent per year for two years, while the province has cited fiscal constraints and a significant deficit as the reason for maintaining its offer of two percent per year.
The ramifications have spread across the public service and into private-sector supply chains that depend on government distribution. For operators, the only remaining channel involves visiting open BC Liquor stores and observing a strict cap of three items per SKU per day — an approach that owners say is unworkable as picket lines rotate and inventory disappears.
Operators report spending hours driving to multiple outlets and returning with insufficient stock to manage peak periods. Menus have been revised to remove popular items and, in some cases, hours have been reduced to ration remaining supply. Restaurants Canada says these short-term coping tactics are not sustainable for businesses already facing higher costs, tight labour markets, and softer demand.
Proposed Relief Measures
Restaurants Canada is asking the province to implement a temporary workaround that permits restaurants, bars and hotels to purchase through private retail channels until a settlement is reached. The association argues that such a measure would preserve jobs and prevent avoidable closures while respecting the collective bargaining process.
Beyond near-term revenue, the concern is reputational and structural. British Columbia’s hospitality sector is a draw for residents and visitors alike. Continued product shortages and venue closures risk undermining consumer confidence and the province’s standing as a leading food and beverage destination.
Restaurants Canada is reiterating its call for the parties to return to the table quickly. The association maintains that immediate access to product is essential to keep doors open while negotiations continue. With inventories tightening each day, operators say the timeline for relief is short.
IKEA at Deerfoot Meadows (Image: Ivanhoe Cambridge)
Ingka Investments, the investment arm of Ingka Group and the largest IKEA retailer, has acquired U.S.-based Locus, a logistics technology company specializing in artificial intelligence.
The move aims to improve IKEA’s digital logistics capabilities and streamline the home delivery experience for customers, the company announced.
Locus provides an AI-powered logistics platform offering advanced route optimization, real-time tracking and resource allocation tools. Ingka Group said the integration of these services will help enhance supply chain efficiency, from capacity management to last-mile delivery execution.
Ingka Investments described the acquisition as a strategic step to increase control over a “critical moment in the customer journey,” as online sales continue to grow. According to the company, online sales accounted for 28 per cent of total IKEA retail sales in fiscal year 2024, up from 11 per cent in 2019.
The investment builds on previous technology partnerships by Ingka Group, including Made4net, which supports warehouse management, and TaskRabbit, which provides furniture assembly services.
“Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many, and that includes delivering products when and how customers want them,” Parekh said.
JLL Retail Spotlight at ICSC Toronto on Monday, October 6, 2025.
Photo: Craig Patterson
The conversation around Canadian retail’s transformation took centre stage on Monday at the JLL Retail Spotlight, held during ICSC Toronto. Hosted by Alan Mackenzie, CEO of JLL Canada, the fireside chat featured two of the country’s most influential landlords: Brad Jones, Senior Vice President and Head of Leasing and Operations at Oxford Properties, and Ruby Paola, Managing Director of Real Estate Asset Management at La Caisse (formerly Ivanhoé Cambridge).
Over the course of a thoughtful, wide-ranging discussion, the executives explored how Canadian retail real estate continues to evolve through disruption, resilience, and a renewed emphasis on placemaking and collaboration between landlords, retailers, and brokers.
Kicking off the discussion, Ruby Paola reflected on the strength of the Canadian market and the people who shape it.
“In Canada particularly, we really have skilled owners, brokers, and asset managers,” said Paola. “It takes a proactive approach and strong tenant–landlord relationships. I think we all do a very good job at doing that.”
Paola emphasized that resilience in the retail industry extends beyond surviving short-term disruptions. It is about long-term evolution — constantly adapting to changing consumer demands and market dynamics.
She noted that with new retail developments at an all-time low, landlords have become more selective and strategic in curating their tenant mixes. “Our second-generation spaces are being replaced relatively quickly,” she added. “That’s a testament to the strength of the teams and the relationships we’ve built.”
The Customer at the Centre
When asked what is driving retail success in Canada today, Brad Jones was clear: everything begins and ends with the consumer.
“The resilience of our customer is really quite extraordinary,” said Jones. “We’ve got tremendous momentum and tailwinds at our back. The ecosystem is changing fast, and people are coming to shopping centres for experiences, not just to shop.”
He pointed to Oxford’s focus on placemaking and experiential retail, including immersive activations and specialty leasing programs that attract traffic and drive sales across categories.
“People come to meet family, to socialize, to enjoy themselves,” Jones continued. “If you continue to innovate, you’ll continue to attract new and better customers and have an opportunity to grow your business. We’re very bullish about what’s happening right now.”
Placemaking as a Strategic Advantage
Both landlords agreed that placemaking has become central to the evolution of retail real estate. Paola described it as the process of transforming traditional shopping centres into multi-dimensional social hubs.
“Placemaking gives you the opportunity to take shopping centres from purely places to transact to something much more,” she said. “You might be shopping, dining, or attending an event. These spaces become community hubs where people gather, and retailers want to be where people gather.”
She noted that if landlords can make their centres that “third place”, a social destination beyond home and work, they can achieve something truly special.
Jones agreed, adding that Oxford is increasingly blending physical and digital experiences to meet consumers’ evolving expectations. “There’s an amazing opportunity to marry physical real estate with the digital world,” he said. “Customers want to be part of something, to belong to a community.”
Urban and Suburban Strategies
The conversation then turned to how consumer behaviour differs between urban and suburban centres.
Paola pointed to La Caisse’s Montreal Eaton Centre as an example of an urban property that has undergone significant transformation.
“We joined two buildings about five years ago and began aligning the mix to new preferences,” she said. “Bringing in Time Out Market, the first in Canada, was a game-changer. It touches on dining, events, and community. It’s really become a gathering place.”
The downtown location, connected to transit and surrounded by office and residential density, has benefitted from a curated mix of retail, entertainment, and food offerings designed for multiple customer groups — residents, office workers, tourists, and local shoppers alike.
On the suburban front, Jones cited Oxford’s Scarborough Town Centre and Square One as examples of super-regional assets that continue to thrive by adapting to new mobility and lifestyle patterns.
“When you have great real estate, you better have a significant strategy and be able to execute,” he said. “Transit, growth markets, and infrastructure investments are driving opportunity. Customers increasingly want to live, work, and play in one community.”
He compared these suburban hubs to Asian and Australian retail developments that integrate health, wellness, food, and entertainment in self-contained ecosystems. “They really don’t need to leave their community,” Jones said. “That’s where we’re heading, and it’s incredibly exciting.”
Strengthening Landlord–Tenant Partnerships
Beyond design and development, both executives agreed that strong relationships between landlords and retailers are the foundation of long-term success.
“Commercial real estate is network-driven,” Paola explained. “Your long-term relationships aren’t built on contracts. They’re built on trust, communication, and understanding.”
She emphasized that landlords and tenants share the same goal: mutual success. “If the retailers thrive, our shopping centres thrive,” she said. “It’s basic, but it’s true. And people might not remember the deal you did with them, but they will remember how you made them feel.”
Her advice to younger professionals entering the industry was simple: take the time to build real relationships. “Go visit your tenants’ offices, show you care, and invest in those connections,” she said. “It makes all the difference.”
Data, Technology, and the Future of Brokerage
In one of the session’s most forward-looking moments, Jones discussed how technology is reshaping the brokerage and leasing model.
“The brokerage world was built on the scarcity of data,” he said. “That’s changing fast with technology. The question is how brokers evolve their relationships and add value differently.”
He believes the future of brokerage lies in advisory, analytics, and partnership, rather than simple transaction facilitation.
“It’s going to be more data-driven, more consultative,” Jones said. “Understanding clients’ balance sheets, their P&Ls, their CapEx budgets. It’s about aligning strategies and sharing intelligence.”
Mackenzie added that this evolution mirrors a broader industry trend toward collaboration and transparency. “It’s our role to understand the objectives of the tenant and the landlord,” he said. “Partnerships that drive sales and support long-term growth will ultimately define success.”
As the discussion closed, Mackenzie reflected on the forward momentum of Canadian retail. The room was filled with both industry veterans and younger professionals, and the speakers expressed optimism for the next generation’s ability to sustain innovation and trust in a rapidly changing environment.
Jones summed it up succinctly: “Innovation is key. The traditional way of transacting isn’t going to continue as it is. The industry is evolving, and that’s exciting for everyone who’s part of it.”
