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How Better Product Presentation Helps Furniture and Home Retailers Reduce Purchase Hesitation Online

By
Retail Insider
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Getting a shopper to a product detail page is no longer the hard part. The harder problem — one that furniture and home retailers have been working around rather than solving — is what happens once they arrive.

Ecommerce infrastructure has matured significantly over the last decade. Checkout flows are faster, search is more refined, and mobile experiences have improved across most major retail platforms. But for high-consideration categories like furniture, lighting, home decor, and home improvement, conversion rates remain stubbornly lower than in categories where the product is easier to judge on a screen. The gap between browsing and buying often comes down to one thing: shoppers still cannot tell, with confidence, exactly what they are getting.

That uncertainty is not a minor friction point. It shapes whether a product gets added to cart, whether a return gets initiated, and increasingly, whether a shopper trusts a retailer enough to come back.

Why Furniture and Home Products Are Harder to Sell Online

Shoppers cannot touch, test, or judge scale easily

Furniture and home categories carry a fundamental challenge that most product categories do not. A shopper buying a desk chair or a floor lamp cannot sit in it, feel the material, or stand it next to their sofa to check the height. Scale is particularly difficult to convey. A sofa described as “three-seater” can vary considerably in how much space it actually occupies. A pendant light listed at 40 cm across may look proportionally different depending on ceiling height, finish, and room context.

These are not failures of product description. They reflect a structural limitation of static product imagery when applied to objects that vary significantly in presence and spatial impact.

Static imagery often leaves unanswered questions

The majority of furniture PDPs still rely on two to four static product shots: front-facing, often on a white background, sometimes supplemented with a lifestyle image. That format was a reasonable baseline when ecommerce was primarily about search and fulfillment. It is less adequate now that product pages are doing much of the selling work that in-store experiences used to handle.

A flat front-on image of a cabinet does not show how the door hinges work, how the grain runs on the side panels, or what the interior configuration looks like. Shoppers trying to make confident decisions often leave the page to look for reviews with photographs, or simply abandon the consideration entirely.

What Shoppers Need From a Modern Product Detail Page

Better visibility into shape, finish, and dimensions

The core ask from shoppers in high-consideration categories is fairly consistent: show me what I’m buying from more than one angle, at a scale I can understand, in a finish I can actually evaluate.

Dimensions help, but they are abstract. A table listed at 200 cm × 90 cm is a set of numbers until something contextualises it — a room image, a scale comparison, or an interactive view that allows the shopper to examine it from different perspectives.

Finishes are similarly difficult to communicate through a single static image. The difference between a matte and a satin lacquer, or between two shades of oak stain, reads very differently on screen depending on lighting and image compression. Retailers who invest in showing finishes accurately at the product-page level see fewer returns driven by “not what I expected” complaints.

Faster decision-making on mobile

Mobile product pages add another layer of constraint. Shoppers on phones scroll quickly, zoom into images without always finding what they are looking for, and are less likely to read detailed specification text than desktop users. Visual formats that communicate form, finish, and proportion quickly — without requiring multiple taps or long text engagement — align more naturally with how mobile shoppers actually behave.

Where a 360 View Adds Real Retail Value

One of the more effective responses to static-image limitations on product pages has been interactive viewing formats. For furniture and home products where shoppers want to inspect a piece from multiple angles, an interactive 360 product viewer can reduce the uncertainty that conventional photography often leaves unresolved.

The value is not novelty. It is informational. A shopper looking at a sideboard can examine the side profile, the back panel finish, and the leg detail without needing the retailer to have anticipated every possible viewing angle in advance. That kind of product understanding, delivered directly on the PDP, is closer to what a store visit provides — and it reduces the need to supplement the product page with extended copy or external reviews.

For high-return categories, the commercial case is straightforward. Customers who understand the product before purchasing are less likely to be disappointed when it arrives.

Why Richer 3D Presentation Matters for High-Consideration Categories

Beyond single-product inspection, retailers are also finding value in more contextual product content. 3D product presentation formats allow furniture and home retailers to show pieces in room settings, in different finish or color configurations, and against a range of complementary products — at a level of visual consistency and production control that location photography cannot easily replicate at scale.

This matters particularly for large assortments. A mid-sized home retailer with several hundred furniture SKUs faces a practical challenge: maintaining consistent, high-quality product imagery across the catalog is resource-intensive when done through traditional photography. 3D-based content offers a repeatable production format, one that can be updated when finishes change or new colorways are added, without requiring a full reshoot.

For category teams managing a mix of furniture, lighting, and decor, visual consistency across PDPs is also a merchandising consideration. Inconsistent image quality across a category undermines the perceived professionalism of a digital retail experience, even when the underlying products are strong.

The Business Case for Better Product Presentation

Higher confidence before checkout

Purchase hesitation in furniture and home categories is not primarily a pricing problem. Retailers who have invested in richer product-page experiences tend to find that the hesitation is informational: shoppers who understand what they are buying are more likely to proceed. That does not require solving every question through imagery, but it does require giving shoppers enough visual information to feel confident rather than uncertain.

Lower mismatch-driven returns

Returns in furniture retail are expensive — logistically, operationally, and in terms of customer relationships. A meaningful proportion of furniture returns are driven by expectation gaps: the item did not match what the shopper understood from the product page. Clearer product presentation does not eliminate returns, but it reduces the subset of returns driven by avoidable misrepresentation.

More consistent merchandising across the catalogue

Retailers who treat product content as an operational capability — with standardised formats, repeatable production workflows, and consistent visual quality across categories — are better positioned to scale their ecommerce assortment without proportionally scaling their content production costs. That consistency also makes category-level merchandising decisions easier, since like-for-like comparisons between products become more meaningful when the presentation format is uniform.

What Retailers Should Prioritise First

The clearest entry point is category-level triage. High-consideration SKUs — typically larger-ticket items with above-average return rates or lower-than-expected conversion — are the logical starting point. PDPs with significant traffic but weak add-to-cart performance are worth auditing for presentation gaps before any other intervention.

Standardising the format before attempting a catalog-wide rollout is more effective than incremental product-by-product upgrades. Retailers who approach product content as a repeatable system rather than a one-off creative exercise tend to see more durable results, both in operational efficiency and in the consistency of the shopper experience.

Improving product presentation in furniture and home retail is increasingly an operational question, not just a creative one. The retailers treating PDP quality as a merchandising lever — one with measurable impact on conversion, returns, and shopper confidence — are making a practical business decision, not an aesthetic one. The technology and formats to do it well are available. The main variable is whether retail teams are approaching it systematically.

Pandora opens new distribution centre in Mississauga to cut down on Canadian delivery times

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Pandora photo
Pandora photo

Pandora, the world’s largest jewellery brand, opened on Tuesday a new online distribution centre in Mississauga to cut delivery times in Canada.

The retailer said Canada is one of its fastest-growing markets, with revenue growing more than 50% since 2019 and surpassing 1 billion DKK (Danish Krone) in 2025.

More than 20% of Pandora’s Canadian sales come from its online sales, and orders have until now been handled from distribution centres in the United States. By moving order processing to Canada, Pandora will cut delivery times by up to 50% (two to four days instead of five to seven) and simplify returns, explained the brand.

The shift also reduces Pandora’s exposure to US tariffs, as online jewellery orders destined for the Canadian market no longer need to pass through US customs, it said.

Tania Brosseau
Tania Brosseau

“The new distribution centre is an important step forward for Pandora in Canada. It means faster deliveries, more reliable service and a better overall experience for our Canadian customers. The new centre also reflects how we continually optimise our global distribution network to support long-term growth and strengthen our global supply chain,” said Tania Brosseau, VP of Canada.

Pandora said the new facility can handle up to 12,500 online orders per day and will be operated by logistics company GXO Logistics, Inc.

“The Canada distribution centre is the first location to adopt Pandora’s new logistics architecture, a scalable setup that replaces older, market-specific systems. The new model makes it easier to work with any logistics provider and delivers better stock availability and higher order accuracy,” said Pandora.

“The centre uses an advanced “pick-to-light” order system, guiding employees with pinpoint lights that indicate exactly which items to place in a specific jewellery order. This speeds up order processing and reduces the risk of errors.”

Pandora has 96 stores across Canada and employs more than 1,400 people. Its retail network in Canada is served directly from the company’s central distribution hub in Thailand.

Headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, Pandora jewellery is sold in more than 100 countries through around 7,000 points of sale, including more than 2,800 concept stores. Pandora employs around 39,000 people worldwide and crafts its jewellery with 100% recycled silver and gold.

Pandora is listed on the Nasdaq Copenhagen stock exchange and generated revenue of DKK 32.5 billion (EUR 4.4 billion) in 2025.

Pandora photo
Pandora photo

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Leyad acquires grocery portfolio spanning six provinces and Yukon

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Real Canadian Superstore in Whitehorse, Yukon (CNW Group/Leyad)

Leyad announced Monday the acquisition of a 387,000-square-foot portfolio of single-tenant grocery properties leased to Loblaw Companies Limited.

The portfolio spans British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon Territory, marking Leyad’s entry into British Columbia and Yukon. Following the transaction, Leyad’s footprint now extends across eight provinces – Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan – in addition to the Yukon, it said in a news release.

Leyad has spent the past decade building a portfolio focused on durable commercial real estate tied to everyday consumer needs, with grocery-anchored properties increasingly forming the backbone of that strategy. With the addition of these assets, Loblaw Companies Limited becomes Leyad’s largest tenant by revenue, reflecting the company’s continued focus on necessity-based retail and tenants that provide essential services to Canadians, said the company.

Henry Zavriyev
Henry Zavriyev

“With this acquisition, we are doubling down on the most resilient segment of retail real estate,” said Henry Zavriyev, CEO of Leyad. “These are established, high-performing locations that continue to play an essential role in the daily lives of the communities they serve.”

The transaction reflects sustained institutional demand for grocery-anchored real estate supported by strong credit tenants. Loblaw Companies Limited remains one of Canada’s leading food and pharmacy retailers and has recently announced a $2.4 billion investment program to expand and modernize its store network nationwide, added Leyad.

Recently, Montreal-based real estate investment and development firm Leyad announced it expanded its growing portfolio of Canadian shopping centres with the acquisition of Lloyd Mall, a dominant regional retail property serving communities across eastern Alberta and western Saskatchewan.

The Leyad Lloyd Mall acquisition forms part of a broader strategy that has seen the company acquire several major retail properties across Canada since 2024.

Among the most significant transactions was the February 2026 purchase of St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg for $160.5 million. The nearly one-million-square-foot shopping centre ranks among the most prominent malls in Manitoba and represents a major addition to Leyad’s portfolio.

In 2025, the company also acquired St. Albert Centre in St. Albert and Londonderry Mall in Edmonton.

Another major acquisition occurred in Ontario with the purchase of Pen Centre in St. Catharines, a property exceeding one million square feet that has significant long-term redevelopment potential.

The company has also assembled a retail portfolio in Prince Albert through the acquisition of Cornerstone Shopping Centre and South Hill Mall.

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Haven Greens growing fast: Ontario greenhouse adds Costco product and plans major expansion

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Haven Greens photo
Haven Greens photo

Haven Greens, Canada’s first fully-automated greenhouse, located in King City, ON, is continuing to expand its retail footprint.

Recently, it launched its latest product in Costco – a large format (10oz) of its Baby Green Leaf – delicate, crisp, and mild, perfect for sandwiches, wraps, or a fresh salad base.

Available in locations across Ontario, this launch marks Haven Greens’ second addition to its Costco lineup, which includes the brand’s 10oz Trillium Blend, a Costco-exclusive medley of baby green leaf, baby red butter leaf, arugula, and mustard greens named after Ontario’s official flower. 

Beyond Costco, Haven Greens’ Baby Green Leaf is available in smaller 4oz and 8oz formats in stores across Ontario and Western Canada, including all Whole Foods, Metro, Sobeys, and Foodland stores in Ontario. 

Through its touchless, climate-controlled, and pesticide-free facility, Haven Greens’ products are ready-to-eat without washing and have an extended shelf life of multiple weeks. Since its first harvest last March, Haven Greens has become the #1 indoor lettuce grower in Ontario, producing approximately two million pounds of lettuce for Canadians over the past 12 months within its five-acre facility located in King City, just outside of Toronto. 

Jay Willmot
Jay Willmot

“We operate Canada’s first fully automated leafy green greenhouse. We operate a five-acre phase-one block, which is our only greenhouse at the moment. We’re currently in the process of trying to expand by another five acres, which would be on the same property here,” said Jay Willmot, CEO and Founder of Haven Greens. 

“Currently we’re operating one five-acre block plus the associated support buildings. This is on my family’s farm—we’ve been here since 1967. It traditionally was a horse farm, so we’ve taken a chunk of that farm and converted it into high-tech greenhouse production.”

The greenhouse is just under two hectares, which is 18,700 square metres. That’s just the glass house component. Then there’s another 0.75 hectares of associated building.The glass house component is just over 200,000 square feet inside.

Willmot said the company grows leafy greens. In terms of its primary production, it grows multiple varieties of green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce, and flavour varieties. Currently its growing a medley of arugula and different mustards.

The Costco relationship was first launched in October.

“We’re going through our first full year of production right now. Last year was a scale-up year. For a while we said we’d produce in excess of 10,000 pounds per day. Right now it went quite a bit above that. In February and March we were up over 12,000 pounds a day.  It is our goal to exceed over 4.1 million pounds into markets. The exact number is about 4.123 million pounds on an annual basis,” said Willmot.

A second facility will help with the scaling up of the business.

Haven Greens photo
Haven Greens photo

“We want to start constructing ideally this summer. If we do that, we would be launching in Q2 of next year. That would more than double our capacity,” added Willmot.

“We do export. We’re in food service in the United States, so we sell to restaurants. We are talking to different banners down there, but we haven’t gotten listed anywhere yet.

“We’re innovating in terms of our product pipeline as well. We’re just about to launch a line of ready-to-eat salad kits. A really big benefit of what we do here is we grow everything pesticide-, herbicide-, and fungicide-free, so there’s no need to wash our product. It’s ready to eat right out of the tray.

“We’re launching a line of salad kits that allow the consumer to mix their sachet, dressings, and toppings right in the tray. You can shake it up, take it to your desk for lunch, and eat it right out of the box.”

Haven Greens photo
Haven Greens photo

Willmot said Haven Greens is also experimenting with different varieties. 

“We’ve got green lettuces, red lettuces, and those flavour components. We’re also looking at different types of red lettuce that would come out as separate SKUs,” he said.

“Right now we call it baby green leaf, but there’s opportunity to launch a butter leaf product, a romaine product, and expand our flavour profile as well—integrating things like baby bok choy and different varieties like that within what we put out of the greenhouse.

“For us, a big part of why we started this business was the heavy Canadian reliance on imported greens. When I started researching this category and segment, we were importing in excess of 97% of the leafy greens Canadians ate every year. That struck me as wildly imbalanced.

“So that’s where we wanted to come in and start to shift that table a bit. It’s a big market—we can’t do it with just one greenhouse. There’s a lot of work to be done in the Canadian space to try to levelize that. Even to get it to 50% imports is a huge lift in terms of new infrastructure needed.

Haven Greens photo
Haven Greens photo

“The way we see it is until we’re pushing the Canadian market much closer to that balance point, or even favouring domestic production, we’re going to keep doing this. There’s really no reason to branch out at this time.

“But broadly there are more opportunities within indoor farming to bolster Canada’s advanced agri-food sector. We’re always keeping an eye on that as well. In the meantime, there’s too much work to do in leafy greens, and we’re going to focus on what we do.”

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SAIL Leadership Buyout Signals New Growth Phase

By
Craig Patterson
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Image: SAIL

Canadian outdoor retailer SAIL Outdoors Inc. has completed a management-led ownership transition, with three senior executives acquiring the company in a move that signals continuity and renewed growth ambitions in the Canadian retail landscape.

The SAIL leadership buyout places control of the Laval, Quebec-based retailer in the hands of Isabelle Lemay, President and Chief Executive Officer, Stefania Cella, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Catherine Venne, Vice President, Marketing. The trio now holds a majority stake following the transaction, which was supported by long-time institutional partner Fonds de solidarité FTQ.

The transition represents a notable example of female-led business succession in Canada, particularly within the retail sector. The new ownership group emphasized its commitment to evolving the company while maintaining its core focus on outdoor, hunting, and fishing categories.

“As women entrepreneurs, we are very proud to continue SAIL’s story here in Canada. We share a common vision: to keep evolving the company while staying true to its mission of supporting outdoor, hunting and fishing enthusiasts in all their activities. We aim to position SAIL as the go-to partner for outdoor activities in Canada — an even stronger, more relevant and more inspiring destination for the years ahead,” said Isabelle Lemay, CPA, President and Chief Executive Officer of SAIL.

The company’s founding shareholders, Dale Tschritter and Daniel Desmarais, initiated the succession plan as they prepare for retirement, citing the leadership team’s complementary expertise and long-term strategic vision as key to the company’s future growth.

From Left to right: Stefania Cella, Isabelle Lemay et Catherine Venne

Credit : Orphisme

Continuity Following Restructuring and Stabilization

The SAIL leadership buyout follows a period of significant transformation for the retailer. After filing for creditor protection in 2020 amid pandemic-related disruptions, the company streamlined its operations, closed underperforming stores, and refocused on its core outdoor business.

Since emerging from restructuring, SAIL has stabilized its footprint at 12 stores, including eight in Quebec and four in Ontario, while investing in e-commerce and operational efficiency. The leadership transition now marks a new phase focused on growth rather than recovery.

Looking ahead, the company has outlined plans to expand its physical presence, with the potential to open up to five new stores over the next five years. This expansion is expected to strengthen SAIL’s presence in both Quebec and Ontario, bringing its assortment closer to consumers in key markets.

The timing aligns with favourable industry conditions. Outdoor recreation continues to gain traction among Canadian consumers, with nearly 78 percent of households participating in activities such as hiking, camping, and cycling. The broader outdoor economy generates more than $100 billion in economic impact and supports over one million jobs nationwide.

Positioned in a Competitive but Growing Category

SAIL operates in a competitive landscape that includes major players such as Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Mountain Equipment Company, and Canadian Tire. At the same time, it faces growing pressure from value-focused entrants like Decathlon and the continued influence of Amazon on equipment sales.

Within this environment, SAIL has carved out a middle-market position, offering technical outdoor products while remaining accessible to a broad consumer base. Its strength in Quebec, combined with targeted expansion in Ontario, will be central to its next phase of growth.

Founded in 1983 as a surplus store in Beloeil, Quebec, SAIL has grown into a national outdoor retailer employing more than 1,000 people. The SAIL leadership buyout ensures that the company remains Canadian-owned while positioning it for long-term expansion under a leadership team deeply familiar with its operations and market dynamics.

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Canada Post Shift Away from Home Delivery Impacts Retail

By
Craig Patterson
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Photo: Canada Post

Canada Post is moving ahead with a sweeping transformation plan that will significantly alter how mail and parcels are delivered across the country, with direct implications for Canada’s retail sector. The initiative, mandated by the federal government, includes the gradual elimination of home delivery in many areas and a reduction in the number of traditional post offices.

In a press release issued Monday, the Crown corporation confirmed that it has begun consultations with unions representing approximately 55,000 postal workers. The organization stated, “We continue to work closely with the government on the details of our proposed transformation plan. At the same time, given the government’s direction to begin taking initial steps, we are reaching out to unions to consult on our approach to several proposed changes.”

While the company did not disclose specific figures related to potential job losses or the number of closures, it outlined a shift toward community mailboxes and updated delivery standards that will require amendments to the Canadian Postal Service Charter.

Union Opposition Highlights Tensions Around Plan

The announcement has already drawn sharp criticism from labour leadership. Canadian Union of Postal Workers National President Jan Simpson issued a strongly worded response, emphasizing both process concerns and broader implications for public service.

“Today, Canada Post announced that it has received approval from the government to begin consultations with the bargaining units at CPC, including our Union, on its plans to transform the post office. These proposed changes stem from the recommendations outlined in the September 2025 announcement by the Minister responsible for Canada Post, Joël Lightbound, regarding ‘a series of measures to stabilize the Corporation’s finances and enable its modernization.’”

She continued, “The proposed changes include replacing door-to-door delivery with community mailboxes, closing rural post offices, and changing delivery standards for letter mail.”

Simpson also criticized the timing and transparency of the process. “This is not the right time to consult. We are fully focused on the upcoming ratification votes, a significant undertaking. This latest move by Canada Post and the Government is yet again another attempt to derail our negotiations process.”

Her statement further noted that the union has not been given access to the full transformation plan, despite repeated requests. “It has now been more than four months since Canada Post provided this plan to the Government. We have repeatedly requested access to it, yet neither the Government nor Canada Post has shared the plan with us, and it has still not been made public.”

Photo- Canada Post
Super mailboxes. Photo- Canada Post

Community Mailboxes to Replace Home Delivery

At the core of the Canada Post restructuring is a shift toward centralized delivery through community mailboxes. Following union consultations, the corporation plans to engage municipalities nationwide to determine timelines and locations for these installations.

The company stated that accommodations will remain in place for individuals who require home delivery, including seniors and those with mobility challenges. However, these services will require supporting documentation under an application-based system.

This structural shift is expected to change how Canadians interact with mail and parcel delivery, moving away from front-door service toward shared infrastructure.

Retail Marketing Faces Structural Change

The transition to community mailboxes has immediate implications for retail marketing strategies. Many Canadian retailers rely on unaddressed admail, particularly flyers, to drive in-store traffic and promote weekly offers.

With delivery shifting to centralized mailbox locations, the effectiveness of physical flyers may decline. Materials that once entered the home environment are more likely to be discarded at the point of pickup, reducing engagement.

As a result, retailers are accelerating a transition toward digital marketing channels. Geo-targeted advertising and app-based promotions are gaining importance as physical flyer distribution becomes less reliable. This shift reflects a broader realignment of marketing budgets across the retail sector.

Retailers Positioned as Postal Service Hubs

Another key outcome of the Canada Post restructuring is the continued integration of postal services into existing retail environments. As corporate post offices close, more services are expected to be hosted within pharmacies, grocery stores, and convenience retailers.

This model creates a potential “halo effect” for participating retailers. Increased foot traffic from customers retrieving parcels or registered mail can translate into incremental sales. With fewer home deliveries, more consumers will need to visit these locations, creating new cross-shopping opportunities.

For retailers, this represents a rare convergence of logistics infrastructure and physical store traffic, at a time when many are seeking ways to drive in-person engagement.

Photo: Canada Post

E-commerce Logistics and the Last-Mile Challenge

The restructuring also reshapes the economics of last-mile delivery, a critical component of modern retail. Community mailboxes equipped with parcel lockers may improve security by reducing theft, but they also introduce friction for consumers accustomed to doorstep delivery.

This trade-off between security and convenience could influence carrier selection. Retailers competing with platforms such as Amazon may increasingly rely on private couriers like FedEx and UPS to maintain premium delivery experiences.

Canada Post’s parcel market share has already declined significantly in recent years, falling from 62 percent in 2019 to approximately 23 percent in 2023 and 2024. The move away from door-to-door delivery could accelerate diversification among retailers seeking reliable and consumer-friendly logistics options.

Rising Costs and Slower Delivery Times Impact Small Business

The financial pressures driving the Canada Post restructuring are also being passed on to businesses. The corporation reported losses approaching $1 billion in 2024, prompting increases in postage and shipping rates.

For small and mid-sized retailers, these cost increases are significant. According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, approximately 98 percent of small businesses still rely on lettermail each month for invoicing, payments, and marketing.

At the same time, delivery standards are expected to slow, with letter mail timelines extending to a three-to-seven-day window. This creates cash flow challenges for businesses that depend on timely payments through the mail.

As a result, many retailers are accelerating the adoption of digital invoicing and electronic payment systems to mitigate delays and maintain operational efficiency.

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Canadian GDP on the rise in January, retail sector up: Statistics Canada

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Real gross domestic product (GDP) edged up 0.1% in January, following 0.2% growth in December, driven by strength in goods-producing industries, reported Statistics Canada on Tuesday.

The federal agency said the retail trade sector expanded 0.8% as six of its nine subsectors were up in January.

“General merchandise retailers (+3.0%) led the growth in January. Motor vehicle and parts dealers (+2.4%) was another large contributor to the increase, reflecting higher retailing activity at new car dealers,” said Statistics Canada.

In January, goods-producing industries expanded by 0.2% for the second month in a row, as gains in mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction, construction and utilities more than offset a contraction in manufacturing. Meanwhile, services-producing industries were essentially unchanged in January, as increases in retail trade and finance and insurance were offset by declines in wholesale trade and transportation and warehousing. Overall, nine of the 20 industrial sectors recorded growth in January, explained Statistics Canada.

Advance information indicates that real GDP increased 0.2% in February, said the report.

The Canadian economy is holding up better than expected amid ongoing uncertainty and external pressures, but is falling short of its potential, said CPA Canada’s chief economist.

Following a disappointing negative fourth quarter, early 2026 GDP data points to modest but positive growth, with consumption proving surprisingly strong even as tariffs and population pressures weigh on key sectors.

David-Alexandre Brassard
David-Alexandre Brassard

“Stronger consumer activity—supported by wage gains and financial market performance—is helping offset ongoing pressures from U.S. tariffs and demographic challenges,” said David-Alexandre Brassard. “But this resilience shouldn’t be overstated as growth remains modest and uneven with key sectors still under strain.”  

Manufacturing and wholesale trade continue to feel the effects of tariffs, both hovering near their lowest levels in real terms over the past year. At the same time, public sector spending and a rebound in natural resources are helping support overall growth.“The struggles of the labour market in early 2026 are not yet echoed by the overall economy,” says Brassard. “Public sector support and a pickup in natural resources are helping sustain momentum, even as trade-sensitive industries remain under pressure.”

Katherine Judge
Katherine Judge

Katherine Judge, Senior Economist, CIBC Capital Markets, said: “The Canadian economy advanced by 0.1% m/m to start the year, a tick above the consensus expectation and the advance estimate. That was driven by strength in goods-producing sectors, namely oil and gas extraction, mining/quarrying, and construction, which masked a decline in manufacturing. The strength in goods sectors offset weakness tied to extreme weather conditions that weighed on transportation/warehousing and real estate activity. Momentum increased in February, as the advance estimate pointed to a 0.2% m/m gain, which leaves Q1 GDP tracking roughly in line with the Bank of Canada’s MPR (Monetary Policy Report) forecast of just under 2%.”

“Canadian consumers are becoming far more deliberate about how they spend. While overall GDP growth was just 0.1% in January, retail rose 0.8%, showing that demand is still there, but increasingly selective,” said For Canada, that raises the stakes. Growth is becoming more reliant on a consumer that is still spending, but increasingly difficult to read. Retailers that can respond in real time will be best positioned to capture that demand as uncertainty continues,” said Vinayak Madappa, Retail Advisory Partner, Capgemini.

Vinayak Madappa
Vinayak Madappa

“Consumers are consolidating purchases with shifting behaviors to discount brands and big box hyper markets and timing big-ticket buys more carefully, which is making demand more volatile and harder to predict. At the same time, geopolitical instability, weaker manufacturing and wholesale activity is tightening supply chains and increasing the risk of demand and inventory falling out of sync.

“For Canada, that raises the stakes. Growth is becoming more reliant on a consumer that is still spending, but increasingly difficult to read. Retailers that can respond in real time will be best positioned to capture that demand as uncertainty continues.” 

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“Ask for Angela” Expands Across Toronto Ahead of Major Events

By
Craig Patterson
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"Ask for Angela" ad (Period Tracker)

As Toronto prepares to welcome more than 300,000 soccer fans this summer, a growing network of partners across retail, hospitality, healthcare, and public spaces is playing a central role in a city-wide safety initiative designed to support individuals experiencing gender-based violence. Led by Victim Services Toronto, the expansion of the Ask for Angela program Toronto is embedding discreet access points for crisis support into everyday environments, reflecting a broader shift in how public-facing spaces, including retail, intersect with urban safety infrastructure. While the program initially launched in retail environments, it is designed to operate across a wide range of sectors including hospitality, healthcare, transit, and tourism.

The initiative, led by Victim Services Toronto, builds on an existing foundation established in 2023 and now scales significantly through partnerships across retail and other sectors. With increased foot traffic expected during major international sporting events, organizers are accelerating efforts to embed accessible support systems directly into high-frequency consumer spaces.

 

Everyday Spaces as a Frontline Safety Network

Everyday consumer-facing environments, including retail, have emerged as critical channels for the program’s expansion. Through its partnership with Loblaw Companies Limited, Ask for Angela has already been integrated into 225 grocery stores and pharmacies across the Greater Toronto Area. Thousands of frontline employees have been trained to recognize the code phrase “Is Angela here?” and respond with a defined protocol that connects individuals to professional support services. QR codes offer an additional discreet option for those seeking help, reinforcing the program’s accessibility across a range of everyday settings.

Dean Henrico, Senior Vice-President Asset Protection at Loblaw Companies Limited, said the partnership has demonstrated tangible impact across stores over the past two years, with expectations for further growth as more organizations participate.

 

Scaling City-Wide Infrastructure Ahead of Major Events

The expansion of the Ask for Angela retail program Toronto comes at a pivotal moment. Research has shown that large-scale sporting events can correlate with increases in reported intimate partner violence, placing additional pressure on urban safety systems.

“In Toronto, police already record 17,000 to 19,000 intimate partner violence occurrences in the average year, with recent data showing a double-digit year-over-year increase in reports despite chronic underreporting,” said Carly Kalish, Chief Executive Officer of Victim Services Toronto. “This summer’s influx of visitors and the expected vulnerabilities that come with it create an urgent need for Ask for Angela’s increased presence across Toronto, while also presenting a long-term, infrastructure-building opportunity to make pathways to help more consistently available, convenient, and approachable.”

The initiative aims to train an additional 8,000 frontline workers across sectors, including retail, hospitality, and healthcare, effectively transforming a pilot program into a scalable urban safety network.

Retail Environments as Accessible Support Points

The integration of safety initiatives into retail spaces reflects a broader evolution in the role of brick-and-mortar locations. Beyond commerce, stores are increasingly positioned as community touchpoints that offer services extending beyond traditional transactions.

Kalish highlighted a recent example where an individual accessed support through a Shoppers Drug Mart location, noting that the absence of a personal phone would have otherwise prevented them from reaching assistance.

“In mid-March, someone asked for Angela at a Shopper’s Drug Mart in central Toronto, and we were able to immediately connect them to our crisis team to provide urgent resources and shelter,” she said. “Because the individual didn’t have a phone, they would have otherwise been cut off from reaching our support, but Ask for Angela provided them with a safe way to connect to the professional help they needed.”

This type of integration underscores the value of retail accessibility, particularly in urban settings where consumers regularly interact with grocery and pharmacy locations.

Marketing and Awareness Embedded in Public Spaces

To support the expansion, the program will launch its first out-of-home advertising campaign, designed to blend into traditional retail and consumer marketing environments. Posters styled as product advertisements will feature QR codes that connect users to resources and a dedicated website.

The campaign is expected to generate approximately 64 million impressions, targeting high-traffic areas such as transit hubs and retail corridors. This approach aligns with the program’s emphasis on discretion while leveraging the visibility of retail and public spaces.

In addition, a mobile-first interactive map will allow users to locate participating retail locations and other partner sites, creating a permanent digital layer that complements the physical retail network.

A Long-Term Shift in Retail’s Community Role

While the immediate catalyst for expansion is the influx of visitors tied to upcoming sporting events, organizers emphasize that the initiative is designed for long-term impact. The growing network of retail and community partners is intended to create a durable infrastructure that remains in place beyond the summer.

“The city’s upcoming tournament has created real momentum for our work,” said Kalish. “We’re using this moment to bolster the presence, awareness, and reach of Ask for Angela and the network of partners behind it, transforming it from a standalone campaign into a scalable, city-wide safety network that will be able to serve Toronto long after this summer ends.”

From a broader urban and retail perspective, the Ask for Angela retail program Toronto highlights how stores can be multi-functional spaces that support both commerce and community wellbeing. As partnerships deepen and participation expands, retail locations may increasingly serve as critical nodes within broader urban support systems.

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Canadian SMBs Question Strength of Buy Canadian Movement

By
Lee Rivett
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Shop Canadian signage at a store. Photo: Craig Patterson

A new Ignite Digital SMB survey is raising questions about the strength of Canada’s “Buy Canadian” movement, suggesting that economic pressures may be reshaping consumer behaviour in ways that disadvantage domestic businesses.

The findings come at a time when Canadian small and medium-sized businesses are navigating a complex environment shaped by tariffs, inflation, and shifting consumer priorities. While public sentiment has leaned toward supporting local businesses, the data suggests that price sensitivity may ultimately be driving purchasing decisions.

Perception Gap Between Public Support and Actual Spending

The Ignite Digital SMB survey reveals that a significant majority of Canadian small business owners believe there is a disconnect between what consumers say and how they actually shop. Nationally, 79.4% of respondents indicated that Canadians may be “Faketriotic,” publicly supporting domestic businesses while privately choosing American alternatives to save money.

This perception is not limited to one region. Business owners across multiple provinces reported similar concerns, with particularly high levels in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario. Ontario, in particular, was identified by 60.8% of respondents as the most “Faketriotic” province, highlighting a perceived concentration of this behaviour in Canada’s largest market.

The financial implications are also notable. A combined majority of respondents said this behaviour is costing their businesses either “a little,” “a lot,” or “too much,” indicating that the issue is more than anecdotal.

Rising Costs and Structural Pressures Intensify Challenges

Beyond consumer behaviour, the SMB survey underscores the broader economic pressures facing Canadian small businesses. Rising costs remain the dominant concern, cited by 63.67% of respondents, followed by cash flow challenges and tariffs linked to U.S. trade actions.

Other operational pressures continue to mount. Business owners identified taxes and compliance, declining customer demand, and staffing challenges as persistent issues. Late payments and difficult client relationships were also cited as key pain points, reflecting ongoing strain on liquidity and operations.

Additionally, efforts to shift away from U.S. suppliers are proving costly. More than 60% of respondents said sourcing non-U.S. alternatives has had a significant or somewhat significant financial impact, adding another layer of complexity to already tight margins.

Fragility of SMB Survival Comes Into Focus

The survey also highlights the precarious financial position of many Canadian SMBs. When asked how long they could survive a 25% drop in business, nearly one-third of respondents said three to five months, while a smaller but concerning portion indicated less than one month.

Confidence levels appear equally strained. A combined 73.17% of respondents expressed uncertainty or pessimism about their ability to sustain their business long enough to eventually sell or retire.

This lack of confidence extends to personal reflections as well. Nearly half of respondents admitted to some level of regret about starting or purchasing their business, pointing to the emotional and financial toll of operating in the current environment.

Buy Canadian Movement Faces Economic Reality

The findings suggest that while the Buy Canadian movement has gained visibility, it may be encountering limits when faced with real economic trade-offs. Consumers, increasingly pressured by rising living costs, appear to be prioritizing price over origin in many cases.

For Canadian retailers and small businesses, this creates a challenging dynamic. On one hand, national sentiment offers an opportunity to build loyalty and brand identity. On the other, competitive pricing and operational efficiency remain critical to survival.

As Matthew Goulart, Founder of Ignite Digital, noted in the release, “We need to be brutally honest about the extreme and unforeseen challenges that Canadian SMBs are struggling through in 2026 and find real ways to support them before it’s too late.”

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Your Voice is Power returns to engage thousands of Canadian students in coding education through music

By
Mario Toneguzzi
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Amazon photo
Amazon photo

Amazon has launched the fifth year of the Your Voice is Power computer science education initiative, with the goal of engaging more than 35,000 Canadian students this year.

The innovative program blends computer science and social justice education pledges to engage 35,000 Canadian middle and high school students.

Your Voice is Power, a national educational program and remix competition that teaches computer science and coding skills to middle and high school students using music from Indigenous artists, recently launched its 2026 edition with a special event in Winnipeg, featuring 2026 JUNO Award-nominated Indigenous Hip Hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids.

Snotty Nose Rez Kids
Snotty Nose Rez Kids

Amazon said Your Voice is Power gives students from all backgrounds the opportunity to build digital skills at an early stage of their education, preparing them for future studies and in-demand career paths. The World Economic Forum ranks software and application developers third on its list of the largest-growing jobs by 2030, and reports that technological knowledge is projected to grow in importance more rapidly than any other skill in the next five years.

After reaching more than 30,000 students in 2025, Your Voice is Power plans to engage more than 35,000 in 2026. The program lesson plan features eight modules that teach the basics of coding while engaging students in discussions on the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis experience in Canada, including topics like Residential Schools, the Sixties Scoop, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action. Students can remix music from Indigenous artists such as Aysanabee, Sebastian Gaskin, Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, and Samian using EarSketch, a free online code editor available in English, French, Ojibwe, and Inuktitut, it said.

Your Voice is Power is a flagship initiative of Amazon Future Engineer Canada, a computer science and STEM education program that seeks to afford all young people the opportunity to realize their potential, in partnership with Amazon Music and education charity TakingITGlobal.

“Your Voice is Power makes it possible for more diverse voices to resonate in a field that is helping shape Canada’s future, but doesn’t currently reflect our society. The program helps young people engage with technology in a way that puts their stories at the forefront and empowers them to apply new skills to share their own unique perspectives on the Indigenous experience,” said Anishinaabe educator Christine M’lot, who led curriculum development on behalf of TakingITGlobal.

“Amazon is committed to making a positive impact on local communities, with a strong legacy of preparing young people for in-demand future careers working alongside partners like TakingITGlobal. Your Voice is Power has inspired thousands of students at a pivotal time in their education, and we’re excited to reach even more Canadians in 2026,” said Eva Lorenz, Country Manager at Amazon Canada.

Amazon photo
Amazon photo

According to June 2024 research from The Dais, Indigenous Peoples are 70% less likely than others in Canada to work in tech. Only 1.4 per cent of employed Indigenous Peoples are currently working in tech occupations, compared to 4.8 percent of non-Indigenous workers. The research also found that the most common field of study for tech workers is Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, along with Engineering. These fields of study alone produce more than half of all tech workers in Canada. 

“Amazon Music has a long history of championing Indigenous artists, from dedicated playlists to initiatives like the Indigenous Song Camp. Your Voice is Power takes that commitment further by connecting students with the music and stories that matter, and we’re proud to be part of this program for a fifth consecutive year,” said John Murphy, Head of Amazon Music & Podcasts, Canada.

Amazon photo
Amazon photo

The Your Voice is Power curriculum is available at no cost to teachers and students in grades 7 through 12. The curriculum was built by TakingITGlobal with extensive year-long collaborations with the Cloud Innovation Centre at the University of British Columbia (UBC) that involved hundreds of hours of consultation and review. The UBC CIC, which is a private/public collaboration between Amazon Web Services (AWS) and UBC, facilitated connections to Indigenous experts, students and alumni as well as to UBC faculty, said Amazon.

All participants are encouraged to submit their remixes to a competition in which two winners – one Indigenous, one identifying as an ally – will receive $5,000 (CAD) scholarships. The deadline to submit entries to the 2026 student competition is June 30 and the winners will be selected in the summer.

Amazon Music subscribers across Canada are able to stream an exclusive Your Voice is Power playlist, spotlighting Indigenous artists including Twin Flames, Jayli Wolf, Dakota Bear, Samian, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Ribbon Skirt, and many others featured in the program. This playlist features music celebrating themes of perseverance and determination, showcasing foundational moments in music spanning 30+ years of music making.

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