Rendering of the Tsawwassen Town Centre redevelopment from street view. (CNW Group/Century Group)
Century Group has unveiled a significantly revised proposal for the redevelopment of the Tsawwassen Town Centre, with a focus on health care space and reduced density in response to community feedback.
The updated plan includes a 25 per cent reduction in building heights and a 57 per cent decrease in the number of homes, scaling down from 1,433 to approximately 600. According to the developer, the proposal continues to align with the City of Delta’s Official Community Plan and provincial housing targets, while aiming to reflect the character of the surrounding community.
Sean Hodgins
Health care has been prioritized as a key amenity in the new plan. In the first phase, Century Group will dedicate space in perpetuity to the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation. The foundation has been working to address long-standing health care access issues in the area.
“We’ve heard the concerns about needing better health care delivery and made changes to address this,” said Sean Hodgins, president of Century Group. “This revised plan reduces scale while still delivering new homes, dedicated space for health care services, and retail that will strengthen our town centre.”
Rendering of a newly expanded Thrifty Foods with an added pharmacy component. (CNW Group/Century Group)
In addition to the health care space, the updated proposal includes:
An expanded Thrifty Foods with a pharmacy component
New housing options, including apartments and townhomes
The addition of 100 new market rental homes to Tsawwassen’s housing supply
“Projects like this will always involve tradeoffs,” said Hodgins. “But we must keep moving forward to tackle Delta’s and the region’s housing challenges.”
Rendering of the health care space dedicated in perpetuity to the Delta Hospital and Community Health Foundation. (CNW Group/Century Group)
The revised plan continues to focus on infill development, renewing an already urbanized area without expanding into greenfield or agricultural land. Century Group says the proposal reflects a balance between future growth and community priorities.
W Toronto has unveiled the first phase of its transformation with the launch of Volume II, a refreshed take on the hotel’s identity that begins with the reimagining of its lobby lounge, Living Room.
Located in the Yorkville neighbourhood, the newly redesigned Living Room blends the feel of a downtown lounge with all-day hospitality. The space now features a coffee bar that opens at 6:30 a.m. with specialty coffees and pastries, evolving into a cocktail lounge by night with live music and creative programming.
Photo: W Toronto
“Reimagining Living Room on the ground floor was about creating synergy between W and the city,” said Elie Sassine, General Manager of W Toronto. “Now, when you walk through our doors, you are immersed in the heart of the hotel, where Toronto’s originality and the true identity of the W Hotels brand come to life.”
The redesign was led by Toronto-based Chapi Chapo Design, who drew inspiration from Yorkville’s 1960s bohemian energy and the upscale character of nearby Mink Mile. The result includes intimate seating areas, a dedicated live music zone and communal spaces meant to foster creativity and connection.
Programming in the Living Room includes daily live performances, DJ sets, vinyl sessions, high tea service, and “Warm-Up Sessions” during happy hour. Locally inspired menu items such as gojuchang fried cauliflower and mushroom arancini complement signature cocktails and Perrier Jouët Champagnes.
Photo: W Toronto
The next phase of the hotel’s relaunch is scheduled for October with the debut of TONO by Akira Back, a rooftop restaurant featuring Nikkei cuisine—a blend of Japanese and Peruvian flavours. The restaurant will be led by Michelin-starred chef and restaurateur Akira Back.
Located at 90 Bloor St. E., W Toronto is part of the global W Hotels brand, which operates 70 properties worldwide and is currently undergoing a multi-year brand evolution. Living Room Coffee Bar is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., while the Living Room Bar operates from 11:00 a.m. to midnight.
Kits Eyecare Ltd. says it has reached a major milestone, surpassing one million two-year active customers as of the third quarter of 2025.
The Vancouver-based company, which trades on the TSX under the symbol KITS, has doubled its active customer base since its IPO in early 2021. The total has grown from 500,000 in Q4 2020 to over one million in less than five years.
Roger Hardy
“Crossing the one-million-customer mark is more than just a number, it’s a testament to the trust we have built with our customers and the value our model delivers for both new and repeat buyers,” said Roger Hardy, co-founder and CEO of KITS, in a statement.
The company attributes its growth to a younger, digitally native audience. According to internal survey data, about 25 per cent of its customers are Gen Z, 50 per cent are Millennials, and the remainder are Gen X. More than 60 per cent of the company’s revenue continues to come from repeat buyers.
KITS uses a vertically integrated model to provide eyecare products directly to consumers. The platform includes an in-house frame design team, optical lab, proprietary digital fitting tools, and just-in-time manufacturing, all aimed at delivering made-to-order eyewear with speed and accuracy.
The company says it sees strong potential for future growth as Millennials and Gen Z increasingly drive demand in the digital vision care market.
Tim Hortons raises a cup to National Coffee Day with four vintage hot beverage cup designs available for a limited time! (CNW Group/Tim Hortons)
Tim Hortons is marking this year’s National Coffee Day on Sept. 29 with the release of four limited-edition vintage hot beverage cup designs.
The cups, which began rolling out at locations across Canada this week, feature retro artwork from the 1960s, 1980s and two styles from the 2010s. They will be available until supplies run out.
“We’re so excited to showcase some iconic designs from the past with our National Coffee Day cup collection.”
According to Bagozzi, each customer will be randomly served one of the four designs.
“It’ll be a trip down memory lane at Tims leading up to National Coffee Day and while guests will be randomly served one of the four vintage cup designs, we know some may want to try to collect them all,” she said.
In addition to the cup designs, Tim Hortons is offering a promotion through its loyalty program.
Starting Sept. 29 and running through Oct. 4, Tims Rewards members who scan their app during four separate brewed coffee purchases will receive 400 points, redeemable for a free coffee.
The offer is available through the Tims app, where terms and conditions can be found.
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
Gatik autonomous delivery truck in front of a Loblaws store. Image: Loblaw
Loblaw Companies Limited is making one of the boldest moves yet in Canadian retail logistics. The country’s largest grocer said this week that it will dramatically expand its partnership with Gatik AI Inc., a Silicon Valley and Toronto-based autonomous vehicle company, to introduce the largest commercial deployment of driverless trucks in North America.
The agreement calls for 50 autonomous trucks to be deployed across the Greater Toronto Area by the end of 2026, servicing more than 300 Loblaw-owned grocery stores. It is a leap from the modest pilot program of just six vehicles that began in 2022. For Loblaw, the expansion is framed as a way to modernize distribution while easing the pressures of a national driver shortage.
“This expanded partnership with and investment in Gatik represents a significant step forward in our commitment to innovation and supply chain sustainability,” said Rob Wiebe, Loblaw’s chief administrator, in a statement. “Autonomous logistics will enable us to move more orders more frequently for our customers.”
A Historic Step for Autonomous Freight
Executives at Gatik, which has been developing autonomous trucking platforms since 2017, say the rollout represents an industry first. “It’s the first time a major retailer has transitioned from pilot to commercial scale with autonomous trucks,” said Gautam Narang, Gatik’s co-founder and chief executive. “This is a transformational moment, not just for Gatik and Loblaw, but for the autonomous trucking sector globally.”
The company notes that the trucks, which are medium-duty vehicles designed for regional logistics, will initially operate with safety drivers before transitioning to fully driverless service. The Gatik Driver, an AI-powered operating system, has logged thousands of miles on public roads across North America. According to the company, its record of safety and reliability is a key factor in winning over regulators and retailers alike.
The Role of Regulation
The rapid expansion comes just weeks after Ontario introduced new rules governing autonomous trucking. The Automated Commercial Motor Vehicle Pilot Program, launched in August, allows medium-duty driverless vehicles to operate on all streets and highways in the province. Gatik worked with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario to design the framework, which officials describe as both enabling innovation and ensuring public safety.
By embedding its technology within regulatory guardrails, Gatik aims to avoid the kind of scrutiny that has hindered other autonomous vehicle ventures. Unlike robotaxis, which must contend with unpredictable human passengers, Gatik’s model focuses narrowly on transporting goods within dense commercial corridors. That specialization, Narang has argued, makes the technology easier to scale.
For Loblaw, the expansion signals a larger shift in how retailers view logistics. With more than 2,800 locations across Canada and over 220,000 employees, the company operates one of the most complex distribution networks in the country. The addition of autonomous trucks promises to reduce bottlenecks, improve delivery frequency, and better handle temperature-sensitive goods such as produce and dairy.
The trucks are equipped for cold-chain logistics, ensuring groceries are delivered under tightly controlled conditions. Loblaw says customers should notice improvements in product freshness and availability, though it has not specified whether the cost savings from automation will eventually be passed on to consumers.
Investment and Strategic Stakes
Loblaw has made a strategic investment in Gatik, a move designed to deepen collaboration and accelerate the scaling of autonomous freight. Financial terms were not disclosed, but executives emphasized that the investment underlines the retailer’s long-term confidence in the technology.
For Gatik, which also operates in Texas, Arkansas, and Arizona, the deal represents a validation of its business model. Unlike many high-profile autonomous vehicle startups that have struggled to commercialize, Gatik’s business-to-business strategy focuses on repeatable, short-haul routes between warehouses and retail outlets.
That “middle mile” approach, analysts note, avoids the more complex challenges of long-haul trucking or passenger transport.
A Company Under Pressure
The announcement arrives at a delicate time for Loblaw. The company has faced intense criticism from consumers over rising grocery prices, with boycotts last year drawing national headlines. Expanding into autonomous freight may be presented as an effort to improve efficiency and lower costs, though skeptics may question whether savings will translate into relief at the checkout line.
The move also raises questions about employment. While Loblaw has not specified how many of its 220,000 employees are drivers, labour unions and critics are likely to scrutinize the impact of automation on jobs. Company officials have stressed that safety drivers will remain in place during the transition, but the long-term plan is to shift to driverless “freight-only” operations.
Gatik autonomous vehicle. Photo: Gatik
A Canadian First, a Global Signal
Autonomous trucking has been tested in markets around the world, but the scale of Loblaw’s rollout places Canada at the forefront of the industry. The expansion is being described as the largest planned deployment of driverless trucks in North America, a benchmark that could influence how other retailers and logistics firms approach automation.
The development also highlights how the retail sector, often slower to adopt emerging technology, is now investing heavily in automation under the pressures of rising costs, labour shortages, and consumer demand for convenience. For Loblaw, the deal may serve both as a competitive advantage and as a test of public trust in driverless logistics.
Loblaw Looking Ahead
Over the next year, 20 autonomous trucks will join Loblaw’s fleet, with 30 more scheduled to follow by the end of 2026. As the rollout progresses, the company says it expects a gradual shift from human-supervised to fully autonomous deliveries.
Whether the expansion succeeds will depend on more than technology. Regulators will monitor safety, customers will judge whether service improves, and labour advocates will watch closely for the impact on jobs. For now, however, Loblaw and Gatik are positioning the project as a milestone in Canadian retail, one that could set the standard for how groceries and goods are delivered in the years to come.
Northern Reflections 40th anniversary event at Stone Road Mall in Guelph, Ontario, September 18, 2025. Photo: supplied
Northern Reflections, one of Canada’s most enduring women’s apparel retailers, is celebrating 40 years in business this month. Founded in 1985 in Guelph, Ontario, as a division of Woolworth Canada, the brand has grown into a heritage retailer with more than 100 stores coast to coast. On September 18, the company marked its milestone anniversary with a special celebration at its original Stone Road Mall location, while also hosting events in every store across the country.
“This milestone definitely reminds us that we’re not just a brand, we’re part of communities across Canada,” said Maryann Darling, President of Northern Reflections. “We’re filled with gratitude for our loyal customers and for our incredible team who pour their heart and soul into making Northern Reflections what it is today.”
Maryann Darling
The 40th anniversary festivities were launched at the Guelph store, where Darling delivered a toast to employees and customers. A curated display of heritage product and artwork dating back to the brand’s earliest years was unveiled, alongside a limited-edition anniversary collection. A nationwide toast was also held simultaneously at 11:00 a.m. across all Northern Reflections stores.
According to Kate Alexander, Director of Retail, the Guelph event was designed as the centrepiece of the celebration. “There’s a special party at our support centre and store, with heritage product on display and a unique anniversary collection for customers. Every store across Canada has joined in with a kickoff party, and we’ve created exclusive perks like a commemorative tote bag and gift card prizes.”
The events were designed to celebrate longevity and to reconnect with long-time customers who have built multi-generational relationships with the brand.
Kate Alexander
From Woolworth to Putman Investments
Northern Reflections’ history is unusual compared to many Canadian retailers. Rather than being launched by an entrepreneur, the chain was created in 1985 by Woolworth Canada as part of the U.S.-based corporation’s mall specialty store strategy. It later became part of Venator Group and ultimately Foot Locker Inc. before its Canadian operations were sold.
By the late 1990s, the chain had reached nearly 1,000 stores across North America. After the U.S. closures, York Management acquired the Canadian network, operating it through a period of consolidation and right-sizing.
In January 2025, Putman Investments, headed by Doug Putman, acquired Northern Reflections, bringing it into a portfolio that includes Toys “R” Us Canada, HMV, and Sunrise Records. Today the retailer operates just over 100 stores, supported by a logistics hub at Vaughan Distribution Centre, shared with Putman’s other banners.
Northern Reflections 40th anniversary celebration at Stone Road Mall in Guelph, Ontario, September 18, 2025
A Heritage Brand with Generational Appeal
While Northern Reflections has long catered to mature women seeking comfortable, durable fashion, the brand is now seeing renewed interest from younger demographics. Vintage Northern Reflections garments have been appearing on TikTok, resale platforms, and in the closets of Gen Z shoppers embracing “cottagecore” and “granny-core” aesthetics.
“I’ve been thoroughly overwhelmed by the emotional attachment that customers have to our products,” Darling explained. “I’ve even sourced some of our vintage pieces through resale sites, and they command impressive prices. These pieces are being handed down through generations, which truly underscores our evolution into a Canadian heritage brand.”
Jacqui Simpson
Jacqui Simpson, Vice President of Merchandising, noted that the brand’s signature loon motif has become especially iconic. “The loon has become a symbol of who we are as a brand. It represents Canada and resonates with our customers, whether they are at the cottage, ski chalet, or enjoying the outdoors.”
New Product Launches: Kidswear and Unisex Fleece
Northern Reflections is also looking ahead. The company has begun testing new product lines that broaden its appeal.
One is NR Littles, a collection for babies and toddlers, recently introduced through partnerships with Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us. “This is so exciting because it allows for mommy-and-me or even granny-and-me matching moments,” Darling said. “It’s a way of welcoming a new generation of customers into the brand.”
Another is a unisex fleece line, currently in development, which taps into customer demand for versatile casualwear. While Northern Reflections historically tested a men’s division under the “Northern Elements” banner in the 1990s, the company is now experimenting with gender-neutral apparel that aligns with contemporary lifestyles.
1980s Northern Reflections advertising image
Customer Loyalty as a Cornerstone
One of Northern Reflections’ greatest strengths has been its ability to retain a fiercely loyal customer base. Store teams cultivate personal connections with shoppers, often knowing them by name and sharing in life milestones.
“There’s a social aspect to shopping our stores,” said Darling. “Customers feel happy and excited to be there, and our associates know them personally. In some communities, we’re one of the only women’s fashion retailers left, so we become an anchor for that neighbourhood.”
Alexander echoed this sentiment: “Customers buy wedding presents for our managers, and associates know details of their lives. I think that makes our stores unique, and it’s why customers say, ‘Please don’t ever leave, where would I shop?’”
This loyalty has helped sustain Northern Reflections even as the Canadian retail landscape has shifted, with many mid-market women’s retailers disappearing in recent years.
Northern Reflections 40th anniversary event at Stone Road Mall in Guelph, Ontario, September 18, 2025. Photo: supplied
Fashion That Endures
The staying power of Northern Reflections also lies in its approach to product design. Rather than chasing fast fashion, the company has consistently focused on quality and fit. Cotton sweaters, embroidered sweatshirts, and elastic-waist pants remain bestsellers, appealing to women of different ages who style them in their own ways.
1990s Northern Reflections advertising image
“Our styles are ageless and seasonless,” said Simpson. “Younger customers might belt a long cardigan and wear it with boots, while older customers style it differently. That versatility and comfort are what keep people coming back.”
Darling emphasized that affordability is also part of the equation. “Most of our pieces are under $100, which makes them accessible while still offering excellent quality. We’re not the cheapest, but our customers know they are getting real value.”
Wholesale Ambitions and Looking Forward
Beyond its stores, Northern Reflections is developing a wholesale strategy that could see its products carried by other Canadian retailers. Simpson confirmed that the company has been piloting partnerships and sees potential for expansion beyond its owned store network.
“We develop every single fabric, button, and colour ourselves,” she said. “It would be wonderful to make our brand available to more people, and wholesale will be part of that journey.”
Meanwhile, the brand continues to embrace sustainability initiatives, including recycled materials and charitable partnerships. Its loyalty program, Northern Friends, is also evolving into a more sophisticated CRM platform to better engage customers.
For Darling, the anniversary is as much about the future as the past. “Forty years in Canadian retail is something special, given the challenges in this industry. We want to keep building on that heritage while evolving with the times,” she said.
With over 100 stores nationwide, a new kids’ line, and a push into unisex apparel, Northern Reflections is positioning itself to stay relevant for decades to come. For many Canadians, the brand has become a symbol of homegrown quality and community connection.
“We’re the best kept secret in Canadian retail,” Darling reflected. “But we think it’s time more people knew about us.”
Canada’s restaurant sector is at a turning point. Rising costs are pushing more people away from eating out and back into their kitchens. Three out of four Canadians now say they dine out less often because of the cost of living. At full-service restaurants, per-person spending has fallen from about $1,165 in 2019 to roughly $1,035 today. Quick-service restaurants are holding on slightly better, but spending there has also slipped, from $1,150 to about $1,135. These numbers tell a story of a nation re-evaluating what it means to eat out, and who it is really for.
Perhaps the most telling shifts are in timing. Lunchtime visits to quick-service outlets have surged by 7.6 percent, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, largely because office workers are back downtown and looking for affordable, quick meals. Breakfast, once a marginal part of foodservice sales, is also expanding, now accounting for more than 11 percent of orders, a modest but steady increase. These are the new growth windows: less about the grand dinner outing and more about the efficient, functional meal squeezed into a workday.
But what may prove most consequential over time is the rise of solo dining. Nearly half of Canadians report having eaten alone in restaurants, and reservations for one are up nearly 30 percent compared to last year. In Toronto, about half of all diners say they’ve chosen to go out by themselves, and more of them are opting for regular tables rather than bar seats. This marks a cultural shift. For decades, restaurants have been framed as places for families, friends, or dates. Dining out was as much about who you were with as about what you ate. The fact that so many Canadians are now comfortable dining alone tells us something profound about where society is going.
Solo dining reflects both independence and changing social patterns. Fewer group outings could mean less reliance on restaurants as community gathering spaces, and even a reduced role for the traditional “dinner date” in courtship. Digital culture has already moved much of our socializing onto screens. Restaurants, once critical venues for human connection, may increasingly serve a functional purpose: a place to eat well, quickly, and without the expectation of company. That could mean fewer multi-course meals, less alcohol consumption, and smaller average checks. For operators, this challenges the economics of the business.
Yet solo dining is not a death sentence for restaurants—it is a transformation. A meal for one can still be an experience if restaurants adapt. Smaller portion menus, comfortable single-seating layouts, and atmospheres that welcome individuals rather than make them feel out of place can all turn solo diners into loyal customers. In fact, this may be the next great market opportunity: to design spaces that don’t just tolerate a party of one, but celebrate it.
This shift points to where food culture is heading in Canada. The sit-down dinner, once the pinnacle of foodservice, is slowly losing ground to breakfast on the go, quick workday lunches, and the normalization of dining alone. Restaurants will need to rethink how they design menus, use space, and market themselves. Policymakers, too, must recognize that the foodservice sector employs hundreds of thousands of Canadians and plays a vital role in urban economies. Ignoring its transformation would be short-sighted.
The kitchen table may once again be the centre of Canadian food culture, but the restaurant table is not disappearing. It is being redefined—more personal, more functional, less about social ritual, and more about individual choice. The restaurants that survive and thrive will be those that recognize this and embrace a new reality: the future is not just about feeding groups, but about feeding individuals, one table at a time.
Mall entrance to La Maison Simons at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, September 18, 2025. Photo: Craig Patterson
Adyen, the global financial technology platform of choice for leading businesses, is partnering withSimons, Canada’s oldest private, family-owned fashion retail business.
Adyen has been selected as the retailer’s financial technology partner for its e-commerce and 19 physical retail stores across Canada, including the newly opened Yorkdale and CF Eaton Centre locations, powering all of their payments. Connecting data from all of Simons’ channels, Adyen will power flexible, cross-channel payment experiences and provide richer insights into customer preferences and behaviour, said the company.
Yannick Vial
“As Simons expands across Canada, we’re focused on delivering a seamless customer shopping experience. Partnering with Adyen isn’t just about streamlining transactions; it’s about fundamentally reshaping how customers interact with our brand, unifying every touchpoint into a singular, intelligent journey,” said Yannick Vial, Senior Vice-President, Chief Digital Development and Unified Commerce at Simons. “Our collaboration with Adyen elevates the customer experience and offers customers the same smooth checkout process in-store and online with increased personalization.”
Sander Meijers
“Simons continues to set the bar for retail in Canada, delivering thoughtfully curated shopping experiences for customers at scale. We are excited to build on this with our partnership, providing an elevated payment experience for customers nationwide,” said Sander Meijers, Canada Country Manager at Adyen. “Whether you’re adding to cart at Simons.ca or prefer to browse in-person at one of their many locations across Canada, Adyen’s platform ensures shoppers can pay how they want, where they want.”
The partnership will also expand the payment options available to customers, from offering Alipay and WeChat to Buy Now, Pay Later. Simons is the first retailer in Canada to offer Klarna in-store via Adyen, providing shoppers with a new, flexible way to pay. Currently available at select locations including Yorkdale and Eaton Centre, the payment method will be rolled out to all 19 stores by the end of fall, ahead of the holiday season. Customers can pay for their purchase using one of Klarna’s interest-free BNPL payment methods and can keep track of the purchase in their Klarna app.
Photo: Adyen
Steven Clarke
“As a forward-thinking innovator in the retail space, Simons was a natural fit to bring Klarna in-store via Adyen for the first time in Canada,” said Steven Clarke, Head of Canada & North American Partnerships at Klarna. “Building on our longstanding partnership with Adyen, we are excited to take this next step in offering flexible payments and further our mission to be everywhere for everyone.”
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
Cosentino has opened the doors to its new Toronto City Centre, relocating its flagship showroom from Castlefield to downtown Toronto at the corner of Front and Frederick Streets (143 Frederick Street). The move reflects a deliberate strategy to embed the company within the city’s vibrant design and architecture community. Rather than functioning as a simple showroom, the new flagship positions itself as a hub for collaboration, creativity, and professional exchange.
“Toronto’s design community is among the most vibrant in North America, and this new City Centre places Cosentino right at its heart,” said Karim Guirguis, Regional Director North, Cosentino. “Our goal is to create a flagship that doesn’t just showcase surfaces but serves as a living hub for inspiration, collaboration, and education, aligning Canada with Cosentino’s global vision for immersive, design-driven showrooms.”
The guiding principle behind the Cosentino Toronto City Centre was to move beyond conventional surface displays. Designed by Cosentino in collaboration with Dubbeldam Architecture + Design, the new showroom integrates surfaces into real-life applications across kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, cladding, and furniture. Dedicated event and education areas reinforce its function as a catalyst for design dialogue and industry development.
“The showroom is much more than a display space — it’s a design manifesto that embodies Cosentino’s core values: longevity, beauty, elegance, and innovation,” said Cristina Hernán Mateos, Interior Design Manager at Cosentino. “While stone is often seen as cold, our spaces convey warmth and versatility, thanks to thoughtful combinations with wood, metal, and layered textures. Every detail is crafted to inspire and connect, allowing visitors to envision their own projects.”
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
Immersive Features and Design Innovation
Visitors to the Toronto City Centre encounter a curated experience intended to spark creativity. Rotating metal frames display full slabs of Cosentino surfaces, including outward-facing orientations that provide striking street-level visibility. Inside, The Atelier functions as a working library where designers can pull samples and test combinations side by side, while The Bathelier showcases a fully functioning bathroom concept with operational washrooms and Cosentino’s new Zoe Top integrated sink.
Engineering ingenuity is also on display through a curved kitchen island, created by layering three 20-millimetre slabs to simulate a 60-millimetre thickness with shadow gaps, demonstrating both technical precision and aesthetic innovation.
“The goal was to design an environment that sparks discovery and supports exchange,” said Heather Dubbeldam, Principal, Dubbeldam Architecture + Design. “By blending practical resources with creative spaces, the showroom is both a working tool and a place to spark new ideas.”
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
Showcasing Three Global Brands
The showroom highlights Cosentino’s three global brands, Dekton®, Silestone®, and Sensa®, through applications spanning flooring, wall cladding, sinks, shower trays, fireplaces, furniture, and façades. Each brand is presented in ways that reflect its unique qualities.
Dekton® Pietra Kode and Pietra Edition surfaces bring warm, earthy tones inspired by Mediterranean traditions to the flooring and walls. Silestone® Le Chic and Le Chic Bohème surfaces, placed in the reception and kitchen areas, incorporate metallic elements for a sense of glamour and individuality. Meanwhile, Sensa® natural stone demonstrates durability, sustainability, and the luxury appeal of natural materiality.
By applying surfaces to diverse contexts, Cosentino Toronto City Centre challenges the perception of stone as static, it says, by showcasing how materials can shape entire environments from hotel receptions to contemporary kitchens.
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
Sustainability as a Core Principle
Sustainability is central to the new showroom’s message. Both Dekton® and Silestone® are manufactured using renewable energy, recycled materials, and processes that reduce water use and waste. Silestone® with HybriQ® technology has a reduced crystalline silica content, offering a safer and more sustainable solution for users.
Production at Cosentino’s facilities in Spain emphasizes energy efficiency, water recycling, and responsible sourcing, aligning the Toronto City Centre with the company’s global sustainability commitments.
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
Partnerships Elevating the Experience
Cosentino has partnered with leading global brands to further enrich the visitor experience at the Toronto City Centre. Collaborations with Gaggenau, Kohler, Andreu World, Vibia Lighting, Freepower, Planika, Pitt, Naturtex, Gan, Gancedo, and Crevin integrate appliances, lighting, furniture, textiles, and technology throughout the space. These partnerships reinforce the notion of the showroom as a holistic destination where surfaces are part of broader, interconnected design stories.
The dynamic character of the showroom is designed to evolve over time, with seasonal installations and rotating displays ensuring the space remains relevant and aligned with the latest design innovations.
Cosentino Toronto City Centre flagship. Image supplied
An Industry Hub for Collaboration and Education
Programming will include professional education sessions, CEUs, industry awards, and networking events with design associations. By creating a venue that supports dialogue, learning, and recognition, Cosentino aims to position the City Centre as a focal point for Canada’s design community.
This evolution highlights the company’s broader strategy in the Canadian market, where it already operates showrooms and distribution centres in Montreal, Stanstead, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver. Globally, the company maintains a strong footprint, with facilities in more than 30 countries and distribution across over 110 markets.
