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SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

Remembering Karl Dodham of Hudson’s Bay’s Queen Street

News Craig Patterson -
A memorial to Karl Dodham, the creative force behind Hudson’s Bay’s Queen Street holiday magic, remembered by colleagues after the 2025 closure.

Canadians Temper Holiday Spending as Boxing Day Nears

News Craig Patterson -
Mid-holiday survey data suggests cautious Canadian shoppers, limited Boxing Day upside, and growing skepticism toward retail promotions.

Mastercard introduces Merchant Cloud for the evolving digital commerce landscape

News Craig Patterson -
Mastercard Merchant Cloud provides a unified platform to help simplify payments, enhance efficiency and support business growth.

Tom Ford Opens First Canadian Storefront at Yorkdale

News Craig Patterson -
Tom Ford opens its first Canadian standalone boutique at Yorkdale, marking a major milestone in the brand’s North American luxury expansion.

Specsavers Marks 250 Stores in Canada With Mission Opening

News Craig Patterson -
Specsavers opens its 250th Canadian store in Mission, B.C., highlighting rapid expansion, grocery-anchored eyecare access, and community ownership.

Oshawa Centre Launches Holiday Snow Magic Experience

News Craig Patterson -
Oshawa Centre debuts Holiday Snow Magic, an immersive family experience raising funds for Lakeridge Health Foundation while driving holiday foot traffic.

The Canadian Retail Stories That Defined 2025

News Bruce Winder -
Bruce Winder reviews the defining Canadian retail stories of 2025, from Hudson’s Bay’s collapse to AI, discount growth, tariffs, and shifting consumer behaviour.

Using retail media networks to drive brand awareness and sales: EY

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Retail media networks remain significantly undervalued by brands and advertisers, despite the growing potential for retailers to generate high-margin revenue from their customer data.

Grocery Code of Conduct in Canada Faces Its First Real Test

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Canada’s Grocers’ Code of Conduct enters force in 2026, but its ability to curb food inflation and rebalance power remains uncertain.

Gentle Monster Opens First Canadian Store at Yorkdale

News Craig Patterson -
Gentle Monster has opened its first Canadian flagship at Yorkdale, bringing immersive art-driven eyewear retail to Toronto’s luxury corridor.

Club Monaco Closes Its First-Ever Store on Queen West

News Craig Patterson -
Club Monaco has shuttered its original 1985 Queen Street West store, marking the end of a defining chapter in Canadian fashion retail.

Mapleview Centre Unveils Holiday Wonder Workshop

News Craig Patterson -
Mapleview Shopping Centre launches Holiday Wonder, a festive workshop supporting MacKids while driving family foot traffic and holiday engagement.

Trump Pressures Canada on Dairy Supply Management Reform

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Donald Trump’s trade pressure exposes the political power, opacity, and affordability challenges embedded in Canada’s dairy supply management system.

SJC launches revolutionary Content Factori™ platform

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The platform works by turning raw data into targeted, on-brand creative for omnichannel marketing, including retail flyers, e-commerce, social media and digital signage.

Retail Sales Growth Masks a Shift to Experience Spending

News J.C. Williams Group -
Retail sales posted modest growth in October as consumers redirected spending from at-home categories to dining, events, and experiences.

Splash and Dash Opens First Canadian Location in Toronto

News Craig Patterson -
Splash and Dash has opened at CF Shops at Don Mills, bringing a membership grooming model, boutique products, and spa add-ons to Toronto dog owners.

Big Chicken Enters Canada With Plans for Expansion

News Craig Patterson -
Big Chicken debuts in Canada at Hamilton’s TD Coliseum, marking the start of a broader national expansion strategy led by CEO Josh Halpern.

Boxing Day Still Matters for Canadian Retail, New Data Shows

News Craig Patterson -
Vividata data shows Boxing Day remains a major Canadian retail moment, driven by planned purchases, regional strength, and more affluent shoppers.

WingsUp! sees delivery drive growth, expansion

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Delivery continues to anchor the company’s business model as the chain expands across Western Canada.

AI-Driven Pricing May Be the Next Shock to Canadian Grocery Shoppers

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Dynamic pricing powered by AI is moving into grocery aisles, putting fairness, trust, and food affordability in Canada at risk, says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. 

Actual Body Opens Regenerative Wellness Clinic in Toronto 

News Craig Patterson -
Actual Body launches in Toronto with regenerative treatments including acoustic wave therapy, exosomes, and a men’s health program showing 'measurable' results.

Is Your Toronto Commercial Lease Ready for World Cup 2026?

News Retail Insider -
Toronto businesses should review leases now for World Cup 2026, covering signage, permitted use, patios, bylaws, and FIFA rules, says a lawyer in an op-ed.

Jim Pattison Group Buys Cherry Lane Shopping Centre

News Craig Patterson -
Jim Pattison Group has acquired Penticton’s Cherry Lane Shopping Centre, the South Okanagan’s only enclosed mall, following Hudson’s Bay’s closure.

Simpsons WWII Roll of Honour Finds New Home at TD Museum

News Craig Patterson -
The WWII Simpsons Roll of Honour has been installed at TD’s downtown Toronto museum, preserving a rare piece of Canadian retail and wartime history.

BHC Chicken Tests Canadian Market With Toronto Flagship

News Craig Patterson -
BHC Chicken reflects on its first year in Toronto as it positions Canada as a strategic base for North American expansion.

Canadian Retailers Face a Growing Convenience Trap

News Jared Gordon -
Canadian retailers are investing heavily in convenience, but rising costs, shrinkage, and customer frustration reveal a deeper strategic quality gap.

Rax Expands Shared Wardrobe Marketplace in Toronto

News Craig Patterson -
Rax, Canada’s peer-to-peer clothing rental app, is expanding into the U.S. after early traction in Toronto and a growing push for circular fashion.

Vancouver-based Deecorp poised to meet strong hotel room demand

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Earlier this year, a new report released by Destination Vancouver and the BC Hotel Association, Hotel Community Impact Assessment suggest that Vancouver urgently needs 10,000 hotel rooms by 2050 to keep pace with growing demand.

Brasswater Acquires Mont Tremblant Retail Village

News Craig Patterson -
Brasswater has acquired the Mont Tremblant retail village, strengthening its focus on experiential, destination-oriented retail assets.

Manulife Centre Launches Atelier Noël Holiday Experience

News Craig Patterson -
Manulife Centre debuts Atelier Noël, a curated holiday experience blending floral art, music, gifting, and charitable giving in Bloor-Yorkville.

Mastermind Toys Bets on Franchising for Its Next Growth Phase

News Craig Patterson -
Mastermind Toys launches a franchising model to expand across Canada, focusing on community-led growth, refreshed stores, and local ownership.

Amazon 2025 Impact Report Details $65bill Invested in Canada

News Craig Patterson -
Amazon’s 2025 Canada Impact Report outlines $65 billion in investments, 46,000 jobs, faster delivery, and expanded support for Canadian businesses.

Livingston Commercial Centre Secures Calgary Building Permits

News Retail Insider -
Building permits have been issued for the Livingston Commercial Centre, a new 100,000+ sq. ft. retail development serving north Calgary’s Livingston community.

Rising Grocery Prices Drive Debt Stress for Canadians

News Craig Patterson -
Credit Counselling Society warns rising grocery prices and holiday spending are pushing more Canadians to seek debt help heading into 2026.

Canada’s Top Food Stories of 2025 Reveal Structural Shifts

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Dalhousie’s Top 10 Food Stories of 2025 highlight structural forces shaping food prices, trust, regulation, and affordability across Canada.

Adonis sees rising demand for holiday catering

News Mario Toneguzzi -
With the holiday season in full swing, Adonis markets launched its 2025 Christmas campaign across its stores in Québec and Ontario.

Playdium to Open Largest Location at Vaughan Mills in 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Cineplex will open its largest Playdium location at Vaughan Mills in summer 2026, expanding its family entertainment footprint in the GTA.

Rabba Expands Tim Hortons Partnership With New GTA Openings

News Retail Insider -
Rabba Fine Foods continues to expand its Tim Hortons partnership, using in-store counters to drive foot traffic and strengthen neighbourhood stores.

Funko Taps Kroeger Marketing for Canada Distribution

News Craig Patterson -
Funko will expand its Canadian retail presence in 2026 through a new wholesale distribution partnership with Kroeger Marketing.

RONA to Complete Final RONA+ Store Conversions in 2026

News Craig Patterson -
RONA inc. will convert its final 10 stores to the RONA+ banner in 2026, completing a national transformation following Lowe’s exit from Canada.

BRP showing why retail store experience is key for consumers

News Mario Toneguzzi -
In powersports, 80% of customer interactions still happen face-to-face.

Peavey Mart Plans Saskatchewan Return in Spring 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Peavey Mart plans to reopen stores in Saskatchewan and Alberta in spring 2026 as part of a phased revival following creditor protection.

Food Prices Push Canada’s Inflation Pressures Higher

News Retail Insider -
Food prices climbed sharply in November, underscoring persistent inflation pressures in Canada despite stable headline inflation.

AIRE Ancient Baths Opens First Canadian Location in Toronto

News Craig Patterson -
AIRE Ancient Baths has opened its first Canadian location in Toronto, transforming a 1912 heritage building into a candlelit wellness retreat.

SSENSE Receives Court Extension as Restructuring Continues

News Craig Patterson -
SSENSE has received a stay extension to Feb. 19 as the luxury e-tailer restructures under CCAA while exploring investment and sale options.

Canada’s Food Inflation Crisis Is Not About Grocers

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Canada’s food inflation is rising faster than overall inflation, driven by structural costs, policy constraints, and supply chain pressures rather than grocery profits.

Hudson’s Bay Holiday Windows Return at Queen and Yonge

News Craig Patterson -
Hudson’s Bay holiday windows return to Queen and Yonge as Cadillac Fairview revives the historic displays with a festive Mars Wrigley Canada activation.

Experiential insights from Gradient’s Beauty IMPACT Report

News Mario Toneguzzi -
86 per cent of survey respondents said their experiential budgets increased, with 40 per cent reporting significant growth and 46 per cent reporting slight growth.

Chip Wilson, founder of lululemon, blasts retailer’s succession planning

News Mario Toneguzzi -
"lululemon needs revitalization and an infusion of new skills to get back to being a product-first company that creates real, long-term shareholder value."

IKEA Canada opens its newest Plan and order point in Abbotsford, British Columbia (Photos)

News Mario Toneguzzi -
With a commercial area of 5,790 square feet, the Abbotsford Plan and order point features 10 kitchen display inspirations, nine bedrooms display inspirations, four bathroom display inspirations; and two living room display inspirations.
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