Luxury resale retailer Mine & Yours has returned to Calgary for a second pop-up at Holt Renfrew, building on the success of its initial activation and signalling growing demand for pre-owned designer fashion in the market.
The six-month pop-up, which opened this month, features a curated assortment of pre-loved luxury handbags, apparel, and accessories, with pricing reaching up to 70% below original retail. The activation follows a strong debut last year and reflects a deepening partnership between the two companies as resale continues to gain traction within the broader luxury retail landscape.
Courtney Watkins, Founder of Mine & Yours
Calgary Emerges as a Strong Market for Luxury Resale
Courtney Watkins, Founder of Mine & Yours, said the company was encouraged by the response from Calgary consumers during its first pop-up, noting that the market exceeded expectations in both demand and product quality.
“We’re very excited to be back in Calgary,” she said. “When we left, a lot of customers were disappointed, which told us there was clearly an appetite for what we’re doing.”
Watkins added that Calgary shoppers demonstrated a strong interest in designer fashion, particularly apparel, which differed from initial assumptions that handbags would dominate sales.
“I was surprised by how fashion-forward the Calgary customer is,” she said. “There’s a real appreciation for designer clothing and higher price point pieces.”
The current pop-up is located in the former Dolce & Gabbana space on the second floor of Holt Renfrew, offering a darker, more contemporary retail environment than the brand’s typically bright and minimalist stores.
Partnership with Holt Renfrew Continues to Evolve
The return to Calgary highlights an ongoing collaboration between Mine & Yours and Holt Renfrew, one that reflects shifting consumer behaviour and the increasing integration of resale within traditional luxury retail environments.
As part of the Calgary activation, Mine & Yours is offering customers multiple payout options when selling items, including cash, store credit, and Holt Renfrew credit. The latter creates a circular shopping dynamic, where customers can sell luxury goods through Mine & Yours and reinvest directly into new purchases at Holt Renfrew.
“There’s a lot of crossover between our customer bases,” Watkins said. “Many of our sellers are already Holt Renfrew shoppers, so this creates a seamless experience between resale and primary retail.”
The companies are also exploring opportunities to expand the partnership further, including potential promotions and additional locations.
Mine&Yours, Source:
Pop-Ups as a Growth Strategy
Mine & Yours has increasingly used pop-ups as a way to test new markets, build brand awareness, and acquire customers. The Calgary location represents a key step in evaluating the potential for a permanent presence in the city.
“Our goal is to stay in Calgary long term,” Watkins said. “Ideally with Holt Renfrew, but we are definitely looking at establishing a more permanent footprint.”
Beyond Calgary, the company is also considering future pop-ups in Montreal and additional activations in Toronto, as it continues to expand its national reach.
Resale Gains Ground in Luxury Retail
The continued partnership between Mine & Yours and Holt Renfrew reflects broader changes in the retail landscape, where resale is increasingly positioned alongside traditional luxury offerings.
“What was once considered alternative is becoming essential,” Watkins said. “Resale is no longer a secondary option. For many customers, it’s becoming a first choice.”
For the fourth quarter of 2025, compared to the fourth quarter of 2024:
Q4 revenue grew to $7.1M vs. $5.3M, an increase of 35% YoY, marking the 7th consecutive quarter of revenue growth
Gross profit grew to $2.5M vs. $2.1M, an increase of 17% YoY
Adj. EBITDA improved to $205K vs. $12K, marking the 5th consecutive quarter of positive Adj. EBITDA
Cash position at December 31, 2025 grew to $4.1M vs. $3.1M (December 31, 2024), a $1M increase YoY
Full Year 2025 Financial Highlights
For the full year 2025, compared to full year 2024:
Annual revenue increased to $27.7M vs. $19.3M, an increase of 43% YoY
Gross profit grew to $9.9M vs. $7.9M, an increase of 25% YoY. Excluding $0.65M fair value of inventory adjustment related to Tee 2 Green (T2G), a non-cash item, gross margin would be approximately 38.1% vs. 41.0%
Adj. EBITDA improved to $1.5M vs. ($472K), a $1.9M YoY improvement
Cash flow from operations grew to $2.8M vs. $129K
Net income (loss) improved to $279K vs. net loss of ($506K)
“2025 was a breakout year for EMERGE. We delivered another year of organic revenue growth, returned to positive Adjusted EBITDA, and generated meaningful cash flow – achieving all three of our core operational objectives. Our Q4 results marked another strong quarter of growth, despite being a seasonal period for T2G. Both our Grocery and Golf verticals performed well, supported by record holiday B2B sales,” said Ghassan Halazon, Founder and CEO, EMERGE.
Ghassan Halazon
“The acquisition and rapid scaling of T2G exceeded all expectations and validates our EMERGE 3.0 playbook. We’ve carried this momentum into 2026 with the acquisition of Viral Loops, adding a high-margin, recurring revenue stream that further enhances our model. We remain focused on compounding value through profitable growth and disciplined capital allocation. I’d like to thank our team, Board, and partners for their continued execution and unwavering support.”
EMERGE’s recently announced acquisition of Viral Loops is not included in 2025 results. Viral Loops achieved approximately $1.3M revenue, $800,000 Adjusted EBITDA and $700,000 cash flow in 2025 (unaudited), it noted.
For Q1 2026, EMERGE management said it expects to achieve another quarter of strong overall revenue growth year-over-year.
“Q1 is a seasonally softer quarter for the golf vertical, which represented nearly half of EMERGE’s annual revenue in 2025. EMERGE acquired T2G on April 5, 2025 so its results will not be included for the comparative period (Q1 2025),” it said.
“Q1 is typically a strong revenue and customer acquisition period for truLOCAL, driven by increased consumer demand for health and protein-focused subscription offerings. Accordingly, marketing spend is strategically elevated during the quarter. Viral Loops was acquired on March 10, 2026 and will contribute from the day of closing. Q2 2026 will be the first full quarter to include Viral Loops results, which is also peak season for the golf business, particularly T2G.”
The company said its top priorities in the near-term are to i) continue to drive organic growth, ii) extract synergies to drive profitability, iii) explore avenues to enhance cash flow and reduce interest expense; and iv) explore accretive strategic/ tuck-in acquisition opportunities.
truLOCAL is its flagship Canadian meat and seafood subscription service. Its golf vertical includes UnderPar (discounted golf experiences), JustGolfStuff and Tee 2 Green (discounted apparel and equipment). EMERGE B2Bhouses Viral Loops, its referral marketing platform that enables hundreds of international clients to acquire and retain customers.
Rendering of Simons’ future store at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, scheduled to open in Fall 2027 (Georgia Street entrance). (CNW Group/La Maison Simons)
The announcement that La Maison Simons will open a flagship store at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver has already made headlines. The more consequential question now is what the move reveals about the future of downtown Vancouver retail, particularly at a time when the market is navigating structural change rather than a simple recovery cycle.
Simons’ planned 92,000-square-foot store, set to open in Fall 2027 within the former Nordstrom space, marks an early phase in the repositioning of one of Canada’s most prominent urban retail nodes, where the traditional department store model has given way to a more fragmented, curated, and experience-driven environment.
For much of the past two years, the closure of Nordstrom and more recently, the nearby Hudson’s Bay Company, created an unusually visible disruption at the intersection of Granville and West Georgia Streets. The loss of two large-format anchors altered pedestrian flow, weakened adjacent leasing activity, and created a perception gap in a part of the city that had long functioned as a primary retail gateway.
According to Martin Moriarty, Vice President at Marcus & Millichap Canada, the scale of those vacancies was enough to ripple across the entire downtown core.
Martin Moriarty
“When you drop a vacancy of that size into a market like Vancouver, it changes everything,” he said, noting that the clustering of the Nordstrom and Hudson’s Bay vacancies compounded the challenge.
However, the reintroduction of a major tenant such as Simons begins to shift that narrative. It signals renewed confidence in the long-term viability of downtown Vancouver as a retail destination.
A Rare Opportunity to Reshape the Core
One of the defining characteristics of Vancouver’s retail market has historically been its lack of large, available spaces. Tight supply has limited opportunities for major repositioning, often forcing brands to compete for smaller footprints or secondary locations.
The vacancy created by Nordstrom’s departure temporarily reversed that dynamic, creating what is now viewed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink how large-format retail operates in the city’s core.
“You don’t often get the chance to redefine a street or multiple blocks,” Moriarty said. “This is going to have a reverberation not just on Granville Street, but across the entire downtown core.”
That transformation is already underway. The former Nordstrom space is being subdivided into multiple retail units, with Simons and Aritzia emerging as early anchor tenants. Additional occupants have yet to be announced, but the presence of these brands is expected to accelerate leasing momentum in the area.
Rendering of the future four-level 41,800 sq ft Aritzia store at Robson and Howe in Vancouver. Rendering: Aritzia
A Reset, Not a Return to 2019
While the Simons announcement is widely viewed as a positive development, industry experts emphasize that it should not be interpreted as a return to pre-pandemic conditions.
David Ian Gray
Retail analyst and university professor David Ian Gray described the current moment as a reset rather than a recovery.
“I don’t see a downside,” he said. “But expecting things to go back to 2019 quickly is unrealistic. There’s still hybrid work, and people are more used to shopping closer to home.”
The implications of that shift are significant. Prior to the pandemic, downtown Vancouver benefited from a dense concentration of office workers, tourists, and commuters, all of whom contributed to consistent retail traffic throughout the week.
Today, that ecosystem has become more fragmented. Hybrid work patterns have reduced weekday foot traffic, while the growth of suburban retail nodes has redistributed consumer spending across the region.
As a result, the recovery of downtown retail is expected to unfold gradually, shaped as much by behavioural change as by new investment.
A More Distributed Retail Landscape
The evolution of Metro Vancouver’s retail landscape has introduced a level of competition that did not exist in the same form a decade ago.
Major developments such as Oakridge Park, The Amazing Brentwood, and enhanced suburban shopping centres have expanded the range of high-quality retail options available outside the downtown core. Consumers are increasingly comfortable shopping closer to where they live, particularly when those locations offer comparable brand assortments and improved accessibility.
This does not diminish the role of downtown Vancouver, but it does redefine it. The core is no longer the singular dominant retail destination. Instead, it is one of several key nodes within a broader, more distributed network.
Within that context, the role of a tenant like Simons becomes more strategic. Its ability to draw customers from across the region will depend not only on its brand appeal, but also on how effectively the surrounding retail environment is curated.
Women’s ‘Twik’ department on the main floor of La Maison Simons at Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Photo: supplied
Why Simons Represents a Different Model
Part of the optimism surrounding Simons is tied to its operating model, which diverges from the traditional department store format that has struggled across North America.
Gray pointed to several key differences, including a more efficient footprint, tighter cost control, and a heavy emphasis on private-label merchandise.
“A large portion of what they sell is private label and thus exclusive,” he said. “You can’t just go online and find the same product somewhere else at a discount. That changes the entire value proposition.”
This approach allows Simons to maintain a distinct identity while avoiding some of the pricing pressures that affected legacy department stores. It also aligns with broader consumer preferences for curated, differentiated retail experiences.
In many ways, the brand represents a modern reinterpretation of the department store concept, one that is more adaptable to current market conditions.
The Clustering Effect and Leasing Momentum
Beyond its individual performance, the presence of Simons is expected to influence the broader leasing environment.
“Good retail attracts more good retail,” Gray said, emphasizing the importance of establishing a critical mass of desirable tenants.
This clustering effect is particularly relevant in a repositioning project of this scale. Once anchor tenants are secured, it becomes easier to attract complementary brands, improve tenant mix, and enhance overall market perception.
For Cadillac Fairview, the landlord of CF Pacific Centre, the opportunity now is to build on this momentum by securing additional tenants that reinforce the repositioning strategy. The same can also be said for landlords in the immediate area.
The outcome will play a significant role in determining whether the redevelopment becomes a true destination or simply a collection of individual stores.
Granville St. entrance to CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver. Photo: Cadillac Fairview
Granville Street at an Inflection Point
The implications of these changes extend well beyond the boundaries of CF Pacific Centre.
Granville Street, which has faced challenges in recent years, stands to benefit significantly from renewed activity at the former Nordstrom site. While nearby corridors such as Robson Street and West Fourth have remained strong, Granville has struggled in part due to the concentration of large vacancies.
“Robson and West Fourth are effectively full,” Moriarty said. “Granville has been the challenge, and a big part of that is these large empty spaces.”
Filling those spaces is expected to restore pedestrian flow and improve the viability of adjacent retail, restaurants, and service businesses.
More importantly, it provides an opportunity to rethink how the street functions within the broader downtown ecosystem.
Granville Street in Vancouver. Photo: Destination Vancouver
A New Layer of Competition: Labour
As Metro Vancouver continues to expand its retail footprint, another challenge is beginning to emerge, one that extends beyond consumer demand.
Labour availability is becoming an increasingly important factor, particularly as multiple large-scale developments move toward completion within a relatively short timeframe.
“It’s not just about competing for shoppers anymore,” Gray said. “The entire region is going to be competing for employees as well.”
This dynamic is shaped by several factors, including the high cost of housing, commuting patterns, and the geographic distribution of new retail projects. For retailers, securing and retaining staff may become as critical as attracting customers. Competition from retailers at Oakridge Park and others will no doubt be an issue.
Former Hudson’s Bay flagship store in downtown Vancouver. Photo: CBRE
The Final Piece: The Hudson’s Bay Building
Despite the momentum generated by the Simons announcement, the future of the former Hudson’s Bay building remains a central question.
The property, located directly across from CF Pacific Centre, is one of the most prominent redevelopment opportunities in Canada. Its eventual repositioning is widely viewed as essential to fully restoring the vitality of the Granville and West Georgia intersection.
Until that site is resolved, the transformation of the area will remain incomplete.
However, there is growing confidence within the industry that a solution will emerge, driven by the underlying strength of the Vancouver market and the strategic importance of the location. Redevelopment, in whatever form, will likely take years to come to fruition.
A Measured but Meaningful Shift
Ultimately, the significance of Simons’ entry into downtown Vancouver lies not in the scale of the store alone, but in what it represents.
It reflects a renewed willingness by major retailers to invest in the city’s core, even as the broader retail landscape continues to evolve. It also underscores the shift toward more flexible, curated retail formats that are better suited to current consumer behaviour.
The recovery of downtown Vancouver retail will not be immediate, nor will it replicate the past. Instead, it will be shaped by a combination of new investment, changing habits, and the gradual rebalancing of the urban environment.
As Gray noted, “It’s going to take time, but this is exactly the kind of move that pushes things in the right direction.”
La Maison Générale in Montreal. Photo: La Maison Générale
La Maison Générale is marking a significant dual milestone, celebrating the first anniversary of its Montreal boutique while the French lifestyle brand reaches its 80th year in operation. The Montreal location represents the company’s first international expansion and signals a broader evolution from a regional French concept into a global retail and design brand.
Opened in April 2025 in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood, the boutique has quickly established itself as a distinctive retail concept that blends home décor, fashion, and hospitality. Located at 237 Avenue Laurier Ouest, the space combines curated retail with a tea room experience, creating an immersive environment that encourages customers to engage with the brand beyond traditional shopping.
Strong First Year Performance Driven by Experience-Led Retail
Gwenaëlle Thibaut, Co-Founder of La Maison Générale Montreal and granddaughter of founder Lucienne Thibaut, described the first year as both encouraging and revealing in terms of consumer appetite.
“We’re really happy. It’s been incredibly encouraging. People are showing up with curiosity and engaging with the concept,” she said in an interview.
Gwenaëlle Thibaut
The store’s mix of fragrances, furniture, textiles, and design services has resonated with customers seeking more personalized and expressive interiors. Thibaut noted that early concerns about introducing bold colours and textures into a market often dominated by neutral tones proved unfounded.
“We thought everything was beige and wondered if it would work. But people come in and say it’s nice to see something colourful. It creates emotion and allows them to personalize their homes,” she explained.
This emphasis on emotional connection and individuality has become a defining feature of the brand’s positioning in Montreal.
La Maison Générale in Montreal. Photo: La Maison Générale
Expanding Offerings with Design Services and New Showroom Space
Building on early momentum, La Maison Générale has expanded its service offering to include in-home design consultations, custom curtains, and curated furniture placements. The company now brings rugs, furnishings, and decorative elements directly to clients’ homes, reinforcing a service-driven retail model.
At the same time, the business is preparing to open a separate showroom space nearby to showcase rare and antique pieces sourced globally. The approximately 2,000-square-foot space will feature items from the 18th and 19th centuries, sourced from regions including India and China.
“We don’t have enough room in the boutique, so we’re creating a more private experience where customers can discover unique pieces that aren’t widely displayed,” said Thibaut.
This expansion reflects both demand and the brand’s commitment to maintaining a curated, discovery-driven retail environment.
Tea Room Concept Drives Traffic and Engagement
A key differentiator for the Montreal location has been its integrated tea room, which functions as both a hospitality offering and a traffic driver. The concept encourages repeat visits and introduces customers to the brand in a more casual setting.
“When you’re not looking for a sofa, you don’t go to a décor store. But you go for coffee every day,” Thibaut said. “The tea room creates an experience. People come in, relax, and then start imagining how their home could look.”
The café now offers house-made pastries alongside coffee and tea, contributing to a broader experiential strategy that blends retail with lifestyle.
La Maison Générale tea room in Montreal. Photo: La Maison Générale
National Reach Through E-Commerce and Tourism
While the physical store anchors the brand in Montreal, La Maison Générale has seen growing demand from across Canada through its e-commerce platform. Orders are being fulfilled nationwide, supported by a curated assortment that includes heritage brands and specialty products.
The store has also benefited from Montreal’s tourism draw, particularly within the Mile End district. Thibaut noted a diverse customer base that includes local residents as well as visitors from the United States, Europe, and Asia.
“It’s not just Montreal. We have people coming from all around, and also tourists who are looking for something different, something artistic and refined,” she said.
Focus on Montreal Before Broader Expansion
Despite early success, the company is taking a measured approach to expansion within Canada. While exploratory visits to Toronto have taken place, the current priority remains deepening the Montreal operation and scaling services through digital channels.
“We’re a small business, so our focus is Montreal for now. We may consider a pop-up in other cities one day, but we want to develop Quebec and reach the rest of Canada through our website,” Thibaut explained.
The company is also positioning itself to take on design projects nationwide, leveraging its control over logistics and sourcing.
La Maison Générale in Montreal. Photo: Laurier Ouest
Investing in AI to Support Growth
A notable strategic initiative underway is the development of an internal AI-driven platform to streamline operations, including ERP and CRM systems. The project is being developed in Montreal, leveraging the city’s strong AI ecosystem.
“We want to spend more time with customers and less time on administration. AI allows us to automate processes so we can focus on design and relationships,” said Thibaut.
The platform is expected to eventually be implemented across the brand’s operations in France, underscoring Montreal’s role as an innovation hub within the company.
80 Years of Heritage Anchoring Future Growth
The Montreal milestone coincides with La Maison Générale’s 80th anniversary, marking a journey that began in 1946 when Lucienne Thibaut founded the original business in France. The company later evolved under Dominique Tosiani and Gwenaëlle Thibaut into a broader “art de vivre” concept, combining retail, design, and hospitality.
Today, the brand operates three boutiques in France alongside its Montreal location, maintaining a balance between heritage craftsmanship and contemporary retail innovation.
“It feels like we are both a startup and an 80-year-old company at the same time,” Thibaut said.
A grocery store in Alberta. Photo: Craig Patterson
Canada’s grocery sector is facing a growing divide as retailers, suppliers, and distributors clash over who should absorb rising transportation costs.
At the centre of the dispute is the rapid escalation of fuel prices in early 2026, driven in part by geopolitical instability in the Middle East. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which handles roughly 20 per cent of global oil shipments, have pushed diesel prices higher, with some Canadian regions seeing levels approach or exceed $2.00 per litre this spring.
The result is a mounting standoff over fuel surcharges, with implications that extend well beyond the supply chain and onto grocery shelves across the country.
A Power Struggle Between Retail Giants and Suppliers
The conflict highlights a widening gap between Canada’s largest grocery chains and the rest of the market.
Major retailers such as Loblaw Companies Limited, Empire Company Limited, and Metro Inc. are pushing back aggressively against new supplier-imposed surcharges. These companies benefit from scale, long-term procurement contracts, and in many cases vertically integrated logistics networks.
Per Bank has stated that the company will resist “unjustified cost increases,” including fuel-related fees that lack transparency. Meanwhile, Nicolas Amyot has acknowledged direct pressure on distribution costs, while emphasizing efforts to delay any impact on consumers.
For these large players, refusing surcharges is both a negotiating tactic and a positioning strategy. By holding the line, they aim to maintain price leadership in an environment where consumers are already strained by inflation.
Suppliers, however, argue they have little choice.
Companies such as Maple Leaf Foods have introduced temporary surcharges, in some cases around $0.11 per kilogram on certain products, citing what they describe as a rapid and significant escalation in logistics costs. Diesel is a core input not only for transportation, but also for agricultural production, creating what industry observers describe as a “double whammy” effect on food pricing.
A grocery store in Quebec. Photo: Vergo Construction
Independent Grocers Face the Greatest Pressure
While large chains negotiate, independent grocers are often left with little room to manoeuvre.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, which represents approximately 6,900 stores, warns that the current environment is accelerating the emergence of a two-tier grocery system.
“A smaller independent grocer certainly does not have the leverage of some of the big chains,” said Gary Sands. “If you don’t pass on the cost, you won’t be an independent grocer, you’ll be an out-of-business grocer.”
Independents typically rely on third-party distributors and wholesalers, where surcharges are often applied as non-negotiable line items. Smaller delivery volumes further exacerbate the issue. A flat surcharge of $15 to $50 per truckload represents a significantly larger share of margins for a small store than for a major distribution centre serving a national chain.
Operational limitations also play a role. Large retailers can optimize logistics through backhauling, filling trucks on return trips to maximize efficiency. Independent grocers rarely have access to such systems, meaning they effectively absorb the cost of empty return miles through higher supplier fees.
Rising Costs Meet Consumer Resistance
The timing of the dispute is particularly sensitive.
Food inflation in Canada outpaced general inflation in 2025, with grocery prices rising roughly 5 per cent compared to 3.5 per cent overall inflation. Consumers have become increasingly price-conscious, leaving little tolerance for further increases at the shelf.
This creates a difficult balancing act. Large chains are resisting surcharges in part to maintain competitive pricing, while independents often have no choice but to pass those costs directly to customers.
The result may be a growing pricing gap between national discount banners and smaller community-based stores, even when selling identical products.
Grocery Code of Conduct Gains Urgency
The dispute is also intensifying calls for reform as Canada moves toward implementing a national grocery code of conduct.
The Grocery Sector Code of Conduct, expected to be fully in place in 2026, aims to address imbalances in negotiating power and introduce greater transparency into supplier-retailer relationships.
Among its objectives are clearer standards around cost pass-through mechanisms, including fuel surcharges, as well as dispute resolution frameworks for smaller players who lack leverage in negotiations.
Proponents argue that the code could help standardize how surcharges are calculated and applied, ensuring more consistent treatment across the sector. Critics, however, question whether it will be sufficient to address structural disparities between large and small operators.
A Structural Shift in Grocery Economics
At its core, the grocery fuel surcharge Canada debate reflects a broader transformation in the economics of retail.
What appears to be a narrow dispute over logistics costs is, in reality, a proxy for deeper questions about scale, power, and resilience within Canada’s food system.
If current trends persist, the industry could see increased consolidation, greater pressure on independent operators, and more pronounced regional disparities in pricing and access.
For consumers, the impact may be subtle but significant. The same product could carry different price tags depending on where it is purchased, not because of retail strategy, but because of the invisible costs embedded in the supply chain.
As one industry observer noted, the issue is not simply about fuel.
After more than two decades building one of Canada’s most loved fast-casual salad brands, Mandy’s Salads is bringing its signature pink-hued world and famous salads to a neighbourhood that’s been waiting for it.
It will be their 15th location in total.
For sisters Mandy and Rebecca Wolfe it marks another exciting milestone in its national expansion.
Mandy Wolfe
What began in 2004 as a folding table tucked inside a Montreal boutique has grown into a household name across Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto, with Vancouver next on the horizon in Kitsilano and Coal Harbour.
Located at 359 Front St E in the District, the 1,900-square-foot space will offer 30 seats indoors, along with an additional 15-seat patio.
The space also features custom-designed wallpaper created specifically for this location, a curated mix of gorgeous antique pieces, and even restored city lamp posts brought indoors, adding to the charm and character of the restaurant. All of this comes to life under 30-foot high ceilings that make the space feel both grand and inviting.
Rebecca Wolfe
The Distillery District space brings together signature Mandy’s design with new creative firsts. For the first time, the team has customized its own lighting in collaboration with Stray Dog Designs, paired with a bold Tom Dixon fixture that anchors the room.
Known for richly layered interiors, Mandy’s takes it even further here. Adorning the walls with antique and vintage finds, and introducing a brand-new gallery wall of paintings for the first time, alongside its iconic family wall.
The opening follows closely behind the brand’s spring menu launch on April 30, bringing a fresh wave of seasonal flavours to pair with the new space.
“We chose the Distillery because it already has a natural energy, so we didn’t need to make anything up. It’s got a historic essence to it, and it’s a great cross section of locals and tourists. Even when you’re driving on any highway, you’ll see the historic sign—Toronto Historic Distillery District—and we love that feel,” said Mandy Wolfe.
“In Montreal, we have a great location in Old Montreal with cobblestone streets, so there’s something that resonates with our brand very much. There’s historic architecture and character, but we’re in this brand-new building, which is a lovely balance between new and old. We love the experiential aspect of opening in a new neighborhood or maybe an up-and-coming, more gentrified area. That’s always something we love to do—be a community hotspot for anyone that’s living there and moving around there. I think they’re also developing the waterfront around there quite a bit, so that’s lovely.”
Mandy said she doesn’t think the sisters ever fully accepted that the business grew to the level it is today.
“It’s a constant state of awe and appreciation and gratitude—just sort of pinch-me moments. I hope we don’t ever lose that,” she said.
Mandy said the brand is securing a third location in Yaletown in Vancouver and is looking at the Calgary market as well.
“With our team, which is incredible—and we keep adding more superstars to help us grow our vision—we love being a Canadian brand, and we hope to expand from coast to coast. But we also love to go south of the border to warmer climates. We find our menu is very harmonious with warm weather, so somewhere like southern Florida is something that we’re actively working toward as well. In terms of a total number, we’re already pretty much close to 20 now if you include Vancouver, so I think we could go up to 40 if you include expansion into the States,” she said.
Mandy’s Rendering
For the brand itself, it’s been pretty much the same since its initial launch.
“We really wanted to make healthy, delicious eating fun and somewhat glamorous, which you can see through the decor and design when you come in. It’s not a cafeteria or a diet spot. We’re trying to bring fun and whimsy back into healthy eating and eating whole foods that are sustainably sourced and are fun to look at before you even dig into them. Getting really creative with the menu, with inspiration from all over the world—different spices and flavour profiles—and really something for everybody. We’re not vegan, we’re not full protein—we cover the spectrum of all different eating styles. And that’s never changed.”
The report said a major driver of this shift is the closure of Hudson’s Bay Company and its associated retail brands, which has brought back approximately 17 million square feet of space.
This marks one of the largest single increases in availability in recent years and is expected to drive a new cycle of leasing, backfilling and repositioning, according to the report.
Despite this, demand has held. Seasonally adjusted retail sales rose 4.4% year-over-year through November 2025, with discretionary categories continuing to outperform, it said.
“Canada’s retail market is moving through a supply-led reset, but demand has not broken,” said Cameron Martin, Cushman & Wakefield Research Manager, Canadian Markets. “Large blocks of space have returned to the market, creating a more complex leasing environment where performance will diverge more clearly by location and format.”
Cameron Martin
That divergence is most visible in food and beverage, which has become a primary driver of retail traffic and leasing activity across major markets, he said.
“Food and beverage is the clearest signal of where demand is going,” said Martin. “Consumers are still spending, but they are prioritizing experience, frequency and value. That is driving expansion in quick-service and premium casual formats, while full-service operators are adjusting to tighter margins and more selective demand.”
According to the report, nationally, rising costs are reinforcing that shift. Food inflation reached 6.2% year-over-year in December 2025, with restaurant prices up 8.5%, placing pressure on full-service operators and accelerating demand toward more price-conscious formats.
The report said 2026 is expected to mark a normalization phase for the sector. Slower population growth tied to reduced immigration targets, alongside a cooling labour market, is likely to moderate the pace of expansion.
“2026 is not a contraction year. It is a normalization phase,” added Martin. “Growth continues, but it becomes more disciplined. Retailers are more selective, operators are more cautious, and landlords will need to work harder to reposition space that no longer fits the market.”
Former Hudson’s Bay at 44 Bloor St. E. in Toronto, February 23, 2022. Photo: Dustin Fuhs
Toronto: Food and Beverage Leads New Openings as Demand Remains Strong
Cushman & Wakefield said Toronto continues to anchor national retail performance, supported by a large, diverse population and sustained tourism. The market generates approximately $11.5 billion in monthly retail sales, underscoring the depth of its consumer base.
“Food and beverage remains one of the strongest drivers of activity, accounting for a significant share of new openings and consistently outperforming traditional retail categories. Growth is increasingly tied to mixed-use and neighbourhood retail, reflecting a market that is distributed across multiple high-performing corridors rather than a single dominant core,” it said.
“At the same time, post-pandemic pressures are driving more selective expansion, with operators focusing on fewer, higher-quality locations and reinforcing a more balanced tenant-landlord dynamic across the market.”
Rendering of Simons’ future store at CF Pacific Centre in downtown Vancouver, scheduled to open in Fall 2027 (Granville Street entrance). (CNW Group/La Maison Simons)
Vancouver: Dining and Premium Retail Concentrated in High-Traffic Urban Corridors
Cushman & Wakefield said Vancouver remains one of the most competitive retail markets in North America, supported by strong tourism, high incomes and limited new supply.
“Food and beverage plays a central role in retail performance, acting as a primary driver of foot traffic across high streets, mixed-use districts and neighbourhood retail nodes. Demand continues to concentrate in premium casual, health-focused and experiential concepts that align with the city’s walkable neighbourhoods,” it said.
“Retail and dining are increasingly integrated within new developments. Projects such as Oakridge Park, which will include a 51,000-square-foot curated food hall, reflect a broader shift toward experience-led retail environments.”
Prévoir, a Canadian fashion-tech startup, recently closed its pre-seed funding round as it continues to onboard more Canadian and US retailers onto its platform.
Calgary-based founder, Courtney Kos, launched the AI-powered merchandising platform that connects directly to Shopify with a launch in the app store late last year, allowing brands to download directly from Shopify.
It extracts detailed product attributes from a brand’s product images, such as colour and fabric, and pairs them with sales data to reveal which styles and design elements perform best. The result is a visual, interactive tool that helps merchandisers make faster, smarter decisions, and at a lower cost.
For a fashion brand, it enables their team to quickly determine what to reorder, mark down, rebalance, or create across pre-season planning, in-season trading and post-season learning.
Many retailers aren’t lacking data, but are still making assortment decisions manually or based on instinct. What’s changing is the ability to quickly understand which product attributes are actually driving sell-through, and act on that much faster.
“The name is French. It means to predict in French. I tried to pick a name that sounded elevated and lends itself well to fashion, but also could apply to other verticals at some point if we ever wanted to expand the business into, say, for example, the beauty industry or something like that. So I wanted it to sound fashionable, but not too niche,” explained Kos.
“So Prévoir is an app that helps fashion merchandisers who need clear insights on product performance by analyzing and augmenting their sales data using AI. And we present it in very fashion-specific workflows.
“We’re helping fashion merchandisers make faster and better-informed decisions . . . There are many ways that you can integrate AI into a fashion business. The way that we do it is we’re helping fashion brands use data that they already have and augmenting it with AI. So we take their sales data, which they already have and already own in their Shopify system. We partner with brands that are within Shopify, and then what we do is we basically use AI to look at it and we pull attributes.”
Courtney Kos
Kos said the data is able to tell merchandisers what kinds of attributes perform best for them and what kinds of attributes they should maybe stay away from so that they can help plan better for the future whether that’s designing new products or buying products if you’re a multi-brand type of business.
Kos said the recent pre-seed funding raised $750,000. The company has also raised some grant money as well, including a $50,000 grant from Alberta Innovates.
“We’re using it primarily on people to build the app or continue refining what we’ve already built. We have a software team. It’s also going to help us get better access to our market. We’ve tested a lot of the ways that we can reach out to our market to let them know what Prévoir is and how it can help them,” added Kos.
“We have a good idea of how to reach them and things that work well and things that don’t work well. What we’ve found works really well is having us in person actually spending time with fashion brands. It’s much more useful for me to go to markets like New York or LA and spend time with fashion brands, host events there, or attend events, as opposed to running a LinkedIn campaign, for example. That doesn’t really get us anywhere.
So it’s really about continuing to build a better app, because these products are never done. You’re always building and making them better than they were yesterday, and just getting out to our market and building the business.
Courtney Kos
A few years ago, Kos had a small store on 17th Ave. SW, in Calgary selling wedding gowns and evening dresses. She experienced firsthand just how hard it is to manage inventory for a fashion company. That is the primary struggle that just never seems to get easier.
“Back then, I lived that firsthand and started to wonder if there would be a better way to use internal data that you already have to make better buys, to choose better products, and hopefully just make that inventory management easier. So that was a small seed a very long time ago,” she said.
“Then fast forward to 2019 to 2021, I completed my MBA in England, and in my final research dissertation, I focused on data-driven product development for fashion brands. I read a lot of really interesting case studies of how other industries were using data to create better products—whether that’s the film industry. I read some interesting case studies about Nike and Gap, just better utilizing their data and gathering new, interesting data in creative ways to help with product refinement.
“I ended up doing a six-month research project on the topic, with real intentions of creating a business at the time, and that’s clearly what’s happened.”
Montreal-based furniture brand Cozey has officially launched its e-commerce business in Australia, opening in a new market and marking its first intercontinental expansion.
Australian consumers can now shop the same collection of products available to Cozey’s customers across Canada and the U.S., underscoring its commitment to making thoughtfully designed home solutions more accessible globally, said the company.
The Australia expansion comes just six years after the company first launched in Canada and follows closely on the heels of its successful U.S. e-commerce debut in 2023. The launch marks the latest milestone in a period of significant growth for the retailer, which has rapidly scaled both its product assortment and physical presence, it said.
Frédéric Aubé, Founder and CEO of Cozey
“We’re incredibly excited to bring Cozey to Australia and introduce our products to a new community of customers,” said Cozey CEO & Founder Frédéric Aubé. “As we looked at where to expand next, Australia emerged as the right choice given how closely it aligns with Canada in terms of customer behaviour and market trends. That similarity gives us strong confidence that our products will resonate while also allowing us to learn from and contribute to the local community as we grow our presence.”
Cozey said it has expanded into new categories with the debut of its bedroom collection and grown SKUs within existing categories, introducing an all-new outdoor collection. Cozey also continues to invest in brick-and-mortar retail across Canada and the United States, opening a permanent store in Calgary and a pop-up in Los Angeles , with permanent store openings planned for Montreal and New York.
“The Australia website will feature all product categories currently available in Canada, apart from mattresses, which will launch later this year. All orders will ship from Cozey’s Sydney-based operations centre, ensuring fast, free delivery across the country and mirroring Cozey’s existing operations across Canada and the U.S.,” it said.
Canadians are no longer bracing for runaway food inflation, but that doesn’t mean they’ve recovered from it. The latest data from the latest Canadian Food Sentiment Index, produced by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, suggest something more nuanced: the shock of inflation may be fading, but its effects are now deeply embedded in how Canadians live, spend, and eat.
To understand where we are today, we need to look back.
When the first Index was first released in Fall 2024, Canadians were in the thick of a food inflation crisis. At the time, 40.3% of respondents believed food prices had risen by more than 10%, and anxiety was widespread. Food had already emerged as the dominant household concern, with 84.1% of Canadians identifying it as the expense that had increased the most, a staggering figure that set the tone for everything that followed.
Then came a political shift. In March 2025, Mark Carney became Prime Minister, inheriting an economy already under strain, with food affordability at the center of the national conversation. Nearly a year later, Canadians might reasonably ask: are things actually better?
The answer depends on what you measure.
If we look at perceptions of inflation, the situation has improved. By Spring 2026, the share of Canadians who believe food prices rose by more than 10% has dropped to 29.7%, while expectations have stabilized. Today, 30.7% of Canadians expect food inflation to fall between 5% and 7%, and only 18.6% anticipate increases above 10%, down significantly from the previous year.
In that narrow sense, Canadians feel less alarmed.
But feeling less alarmed is not the same as feeling better.
Food remains the top financial concern for Canadians, with 81.1% still identifying it as the expense that has increased the most, only slightly down from 84.1% in 2024. No other category comes close. This persistence tells us something critical: while inflation is moderating, affordability has not improved in any meaningful way.
That reality is reflected in household budgets. Canadians are now spending more on food than they were a year ago, despite all efforts to cut back. Average monthly spending on food at home has climbed to just over $412, up from $396 the year before—an increase of $22.96 per month, or 4.6% year-over-year. At the same time, the share of households spending more than $600 per month on groceries has risen to 20.6%, reinforcing the steady upward drift in food costs.
Yet Canadians are not offsetting these increases by spending more elsewhere. Dining out remains constrained, with the largest share of households still spending $50 or less per month on restaurants and takeout. Households are prioritizing food at home, often at the expense of discretionary spending.
To cope, Canadians have fundamentally changed how they shop.
Inside a Loblaw Grocery Store (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
In Fall 2024, cost-cutting behaviours surged as households scrambled to respond to rising prices. Today, those behaviours have become normalized. According to the Index, 44.4% of Canadians actively seek sales and discounts, while roughly 23% use coupons, 23% shop at cheaper stores, and about 20% cut back on premium foods such as meat or fresh produce. Even alternative strategies are emerging, with 8.5% of Canadians now using food-rescue or surplus apps.
This is no longer crisis behaviour—it is routine behaviour.
And yet, despite all these adjustments, financial strain remains widespread. In Fall 2024, about 34% of Canadians reported drawing from savings or borrowing money to pay for food. That number dipped slightly in 2025, offering a brief sense of relief. But by Spring 2026, it has returned to 34%, unchanged from the peak.
One in three Canadians is still struggling to afford food.
So are Canadians better off today than they were before Mark Carney took office?
If we measure sentiment by panic, the answer is yes, slightly.
If we measure it by financial reality, the answer is no.
Perhaps the most telling shift over the past two years is in how Canadians define value. In Fall 2024, affordability was already important. By Spring 2026, it has become overwhelmingly dominant. Today, 45.5% of Canadians cite affordability as their top food priority, compared to 24.9% for nutrition and roughly 16% for taste.
Everything else—environmental impact, social responsibility, even local sourcing—has taken a back seat.
This helps explain why broader consumer movements are losing momentum. The “Buy Canadian” surge seen in 2025 has already begun to soften. While many Canadians still prefer local products, the data show that cost is once again the overriding factor. Consumers are not abandoning local food—they are being priced out of it.
At the same time, Canadians are becoming more strategic. Grocery shopping frequency now averages 5.23 visits per month, reflecting a shift toward smaller, more frequent trips aimed at controlling spending. Consumers are also paying more attention to product information, with a growing share checking food origins and labels. This is not just awareness—it is optimization under constraint.
The evolution of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index since Fall 2024 tells a clear story. The acute phase of food inflation has passed. But it has been replaced by something more persistent: a prolonged period of affordability stress.
Mark Carney may have inherited this problem, but nearly a year into his tenure, Canadians are still living with it. The numbers suggest that while inflation has cooled, the burden on households has not.
Prices are still rising. Budgets are still stretched. And one in three Canadians is still struggling to afford food.
That is not recovery. That is adaptation under constraint.
If policymakers continue to focus solely on inflation rates, they will miss the deeper issue. The challenge is no longer volatility—it is persistence. Even moderate inflation, sustained over time, erodes purchasing power and forces difficult trade-offs that affect nutrition, health, and food security.
Canadians have shown they can adapt. But adaptation is not the same as resilience—and right now, that resilience is still being tested.
