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SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

From the Desk: Retail’s Strategic Moves and Shifting Consumer Landscapes in Early 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Canadian retail enters 2026 amid strategic recalibration, as brands balance flagship investment, store optimization, AI adoption, and shifting consumer demand.

Chip Wilson’s Board Picks Reveal Lululemon’s Deeper Problem

News Jared Gordon -
Chip Wilson’s board nominations highlight deeper strategic issues at Lululemon as the brand grapples with innovation, leadership, and direction.

VIDEO: Retail sector faces tough year as trade tensions, consumer caution shape 2026: Bruce Winder

News Mario Toneguzzi -
One of the most significant developments in 2025 was the shutdown of Hudson’s Bay, which left large amounts of vacant retail space across the country.

Canada’s unemployment rate on the rise: Statistics Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
There were 1.6 million people unemployed in December, an increase of 73,000 (+4.9%) in the month.

Aritzia reports Q3 Fiscal 2026 financial results, record net revenue

News Mario Toneguzzi -
"We delivered record net revenue of $1.04 billion in the third quarter of Fiscal 2026, a 43% increase compared to last year. Comparable sales grew 34%, with exceptional growth in all channels and all geographies."

Moose Knuckles Refines Retail Strategy With Eaton Centre Move

News Craig Patterson -
Moose Knuckles relocates its CF Toronto Eaton Centre store as the Canadian brand sharpens its retail, product, and global growth strategy.

VIDEO: Canadian restaurants struggling, Sylvain Charlebois

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Charlebois said his team’s analysis suggests Canada experienced a net loss of roughly 7,000 restaurant establishments in 2025 and is on track to lose about another 4,000 in 2026, as closures continue to outpace openings

Edmonton hospitality group O & O eyes international expansion as it approaches 10-year milestone

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Today, O & O Group’s business model is firmly rooted in franchising, a strategy Prakash says allows the company to focus on execution and operational discipline rather than brand creation.

EMERGE founder outlines past missteps and future strategy in shareholder letter

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The letter frames EMERGE’s history in three phases, according to the company, and is intended to provide shareholders with a candid assessment of how the business has evolved and where it intends to focus going forward.

Canada Could Lose 4,000 Restaurants in 2026

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Despite growth on paper, Canada’s restaurant sector faces rising costs, shrinking margins, and accelerating closures heading into 2026.

Randstad Canada outlines top 15 most in-demand jobs for 2026 amid accelerating workplace change

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Retail and sales positions are also being reshaped, according to the report, as the experience economy changes the nature of customer-facing work.

Tiffany & Co. Expands Canadian Presence With Royalmount Store

News Craig Patterson -
Tiffany & Co. opens a new Royalmount store in Montreal, deepening its long-term investment in Canadian luxury retail and flagship locations.

Sports Experts to Replace Saks OFF 5TH at Place Ste-Foy

News Craig Patterson -
Sports Experts will relocate to the former Saks OFF 5TH space at Place Ste-Foy, expanding its footprint by over 50 percent ahead of an April 2026 opening.

Gen Z Is Opting Out and Retail Is Feeling the Impact

News Lee Rivett -
Gen Z is rejecting traditional life milestones, reshaping demand across housing, apparel, food, and lifestyle retail in Canada.

London Drugs to Close Downtown Eastside Vancouver Store

News Lee Rivett -
London Drugs will close its Downtown Eastside Vancouver store on Feb. 1, ending a 17-year presence amid safety and financial challenges.

Yankee Candle Exits Canadian Retail After 14 Years

News Craig Patterson -
Yankee Candle has closed its final Canadian store, ending its brick-and-mortar presence after 14 years as the brand shifts to wholesale distribution.

AI Is Reshaping Retail Search in Canada

News Lee Rivett -
AI powered search is changing how consumers find retailers. A new trend report explains why brands are losing visibility faster than expected.

Bloor-Yorkville BIA Appoints Janet McCausland as Executive Director

News Craig Patterson -
Toronto's Bloor-Yorkville BIA has appointed Janet McCausland as Executive Director, succeeding Briar de Lange as the luxury district enters its next phase.

Quebec SMEs Leading Retail Innovation [Op-Ed]

News Retail Insider -
Quebec SMEs like Omy, BonLook, and Matt & Nat show how personalization, omnichannel, and sustainability drive retail success.

Future-Ready Fashion at AFA United in Style 2026

News Retail Insider -
AFA United in Style 2026 brings Canadian fashion buyers and brands together in Toronto to preview new collections, trends, and strategies shaping future seasons.

Canada’s K-Shaped Economy will Reshape Retail in 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Canada’s retail sector enters 2026 shaped by a K-shaped economy, cautious consumers, rapid delivery, AI discovery, and mounting pressure on malls.

Why Customer Connection Is the New E-Commerce Advantage

News David Nagy -
Customer connection has become the defining advantage in e-commerce as brands balance personalization, data, automation, and long-term trust.

KaleMart24 Expands Rapidly With Toronto Entry Planned for 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Montreal-based KaleMart24 plans a major Toronto debut in 2026 as the wellness-focused convenience brand accelerates national expansion.

Tim Hortons Reveals Canada’s Top Orders of 2025

News Lee Rivett -
Tim Hortons looks back at 2025, revealing Canada’s most ordered menu items, regional trends, loyalty growth, and a first-ever retail merch pop-up.

“Made Here” Becomes a Trust Signal for Canadian Retail

News Lee Rivett -
Local sourcing is no longer a marketing tactic. A new trend report shows why “Made Here” is becoming a core trust signal for Canadian retailers.

Apple Announces Opening for New Montreal Flagship Store

News Craig Patterson -
Apple announces the January 16 opening of its relocated Sainte-Catherine Street store in an historic downtown Montreal building.

Primaris Completes $154M Northland Village Sale in Calgary

News Lee Rivett -
Primaris REIT sells Northland Village and its office component in Calgary for $154 million as part of its 2025 capital recycling strategy.

Aritzia Poised for Strong Q3 as Sales Momentum Accelerates

News Craig Patterson -
Aritzia is expected to post a strong Q3 as sales momentum, margin expansion, and digital growth support higher earnings expectations.

Six Global Trends Reshaping Canadian Retail in 2026

News Lee Rivett -
A new trend report outlines six forces that will reshape Canadian retail in 2026, from nationalism and AI disruption to health, inequality, and tech power.

Kyndryl forecast: 89% of retail executives expect AI to reshape jobs by 2026

News Mario Toneguzzi -
9 out of 10 leaders in the retail space agree that AI will “completely” change the roles at their companies within a year. 

Canada’s Food Economy Faces a Defining Shift in 2026

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Canada’s food economy enters a pivotal year as trade pressures, health trends, AI pricing, and new regulations reshape the sector in 2026.

Pet Food Inflation Becomes a Cost-of-Living Crisis in Canada

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Pet food inflation in Canada has surged since 2020, pushing pet ownership from a lifestyle choice into a growing cost-of-living pressure.

Vistar: The Future of Digital Out-of-Home Advertising

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Canada is now one of the most connected markets in the world, with internet penetration at 95% and more than 82% of the population active on social media.

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.
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