SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

RCC STORE 26: The Conversations That Matter Aren’t Always on Stage

News Retail Insider -
Canada’s largest retail event returns June 2-3, 2026 in Toronto. Discover why the most valuable ideas at RCC STORE 26 happen both on stage and in the conversations that shape smarter retail leadership.

From The Desk: Canadian Retail Reshapes Loyalty, Footprints, and E-Commerce in Early 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Canadian retail kicks off 2026 with Starbucks’ tiered rewards, Toys R Us’ contraction, and Walmart expansion, amid stabilizing market trends.

OMEGA opens flagship boutique at Calgary’s Chinook Centre

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company hooking into a major Alberta shopping centre signals a continued focus on Canada as a growth market, with the new store intended to serve customers in Calgary and the surrounding region.

Retail sector GDP on the rise in November: Statistics Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Food and beverage retailers (+2.5%) rebounded in November, reflecting higher beer, wine and liquor retailing activity, following the conclusion of a work action in British Columbia on October 26 that had disrupted activity since September 2.

Birks Group reports 11.8% holiday-period sales increase

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Comparable store sales for the period increased 2.5 per cent from the same period a year earlier.

GoodLife Fitness launches national marketing campaign as it expands Canadian locations

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The campaign launched on January 1 and will run throughout the year across connected TV, digital video and display, digital audio, social media, search, and out-of-home advertising.

Empire Company to close Alberta e-commerce facilities, expands third-party delivery partnerships

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company said the changes are expected to deliver roughly $95 million in annualized operating income by fiscal 2027.

Larry’s Catch draws three offers on CBC’s Dragons’ Den

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company currently delivers across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Canadian retail enters 2026 with signs of stabilization: CBRE survey

News Mario Toneguzzi -
CBRE’s H2 2025 Retail Rent Survey says many cities rebounded as last year progressed, with stabilization becoming more evident nationwide heading into 2026.

Canadian ecommerce orders rose 20% in 2025, with top brands driving half the growth: Omnisend

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Demand was unevenly distributed, with a relatively small group of higher-performing brands capturing a disproportionate share of the gains.

Lane Bryant Enters Canada via Walmart Partnership

News Craig Patterson -
Lane Bryant launches on Walmart.ca and in 320 stores Feb. 1, expanding plus-size fashion access through partnerships with Centric Brands and KnitWell. 

Apple Reports Record Q1 2026 Financial Results

News Lee Rivett -
Apple has announced its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, revealing a record revenue of $143.8 billion, up 16% year-over-year. The company's diluted earnings per share reached $2.84, reflecting a 19% increase.

Starbucks Canada Rolls Out Tiered Rewards Program

News Craig Patterson -
Starbucks Canada launches a new tiered Starbucks Rewards program on March 10, introducing Green, Gold, and Reserve levels with faster earning and richer benefits.

Payroll employment in retail trade decreases in November: Statistics Canada

Retailer Data Mario Toneguzzi -
Compared with one year earlier, payroll employment in retail trade was down 30,700 (-1.5%) in November.

AI-enabled fraud surges as most retailers remain unprepared, Deloitte warns

News Mario Toneguzzi -
As retailers embrace AI-driven innovation, fraudsters are using the same technology to launch more complex, scalable attacks

New Walmart Supercentre coming to Alberta in southwest Edmonton

News Mario Toneguzzi -
In 2025, Walmart Canada said it announced a $6.5 billion investment over the next five years to expand its store and supply chain footprint.

VIDEO: Canadian retailers face structural supply chain reckoning: Gary Newbury

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Newbury says many retailers are still relying on systems and processes designed for a far simpler, pre-2019 world.

Restaurants Canada encouraged by federal government’s announcement of new food affordability measures

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The foodservice industry is the fourth-largest private sector employer in the country, with nearly 1.2 million employees, including 500,000 youth.

Canadians turn to AI for shopping, but trust remains the biggest barrier: IBM study

News Mario Toneguzzi -
AI adoption in Canada is accelerating, with nearly half (45%) of consumers using AI in their shopping journey from researching products (42%) to finding deals (28%).

Canadians spending intentions cool off in January but remain positive: Stifel

News Mario Toneguzzi -
54% of respondents expect to increase their spending on discretionary items in the next twelve months, which is higher than the 51% average of the last 11 surveys

Toronto tourism hits record 28.2 million visitors in 2025, $9.1B in spending

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Direct visitor spending generated nearly $13.5 billion in total economic impact and exceeded the previous year’s record by four per cent, with 37 per cent of spending coming from U.S. and international visitors

Why Ethical Products Struggle to Sell — and the Simple Pricing Fix That Could Change That

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Instead of charging more, ethical products could be sold in slightly smaller quantities so the price feels comparable.

Code Ninjas Opens in Vaughan, Inspiring the Next Generation of Coders

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The new dojo will empower children ages 5–14 to learn computer coding, robotics, and problem-solving STEM skills by building their own video games in a fun, inspiring, and family-friendly environment

GASPARD PREMIER charts measured growth as niche fragrance maker leans on small-batch model

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Its products are available online and through select retail partners, including the Monocle shop in Toronto.

Rising demand lifts Canada Gold as investors turn to physical precious metals

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Customer purchases of physical gold and silver are up about 150 per cent over the past 12 months

Toys R Us Exits Saskatchewan as Canadian Store Network Shrinks

News Lee Rivett -
Toys R Us is exiting Saskatchewan as its Canadian store network continues to shrink following widespread closures nationwide.

METRO sees sales growth but net earnings decline in Q1 2026 financial results

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Q1 sales of $5,285.8 million were up 3.3%.

Canadian retailers urged to build trust and personalization through technology: SOTI study

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Consumers are responding by reducing impulse or non-essential purchases and paying closer attention to value.

Elizabeth Grant Skin Care leans on legacy, manufacturing and global TV retail to drive growth (Photos)

News Mario Toneguzzi -
A 78-year history rooted in direct-to-consumer television retail and in-house manufacturing

Healthy Planet expands across Ontario as Canada’s largest online health store bets on omnichannel growth

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The retailer currently operates 42 locations across Ontario, with its 43rd store set to open in Etobicoke North in February.

Psycho Bunny eyes selective North American growth as mall traffic rebounds, CEO says

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Montreal-based brand, which operates 108 corporate stores across North America, expects to open between five and 10 new locations this year while continuing to evaluate long-term growth potential in both Canada and the United States.

Canac Expands Greater Montreal Footprint With 1st Laval Store

News Craig Patterson -
Canac opens its first Laval store on February 6, marking its entry into Greater Montreal with the company’s largest investment to date.

Gen Z Fuels Resurgence of Physical Music in Canada as Vinyl and K-Pop Sales Surge

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Limited-edition vinyl and CDs with posters, postcards, and other extras are top sellers from Megahit’s Temu store.

Toronto Hot Yoga Pioneer Dana Dineen Opens Second bhy Studio in Riverside (Photos)

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The expansion is a major milestone for bhy quietly building one of the city’s most loyal studio communities at a time when few boutique wellness brands seem to last more than a few years. 

Continued stability in Vancouver’s retail sector: Colliers

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Grocery-anchored shopping centres, continue to be the standard for stability in an already stable asset class.

Gentle Fawn leans on longevity over trends as Vancouver fashion brand marks more than two decades

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Founded in 2003, Gentle Fawn has grown into a North American wholesale and direct-to-consumer business with roughly 600 retail partners split evenly between Canada and the United States, while its own e-commerce site has become its largest single sales channel.

Graydon Skincare navigates a changing Canadian beauty landscape

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Graydon Moffat founded the brand 10 years ago in March as an independent, plant-powered skincare brand known for its nutrient-rich formulations and thoughtful approach to skin health.

Trump tariff threat could be “massive blow” to Canadian economy

News Mario Toneguzzi -
"Any threat to our economy can cause consumers and businesses to pause spending and decisions."

From the Desk: Navigating Retail Expansion and Consumer Caution in Early 2026

News Craig Patterson -
Canadian retail in 2026 balances expansion, experiential stores, AI adoption, and cautious consumer spending amid inflation and economic uncertainty.

Tissot Opens First Canadian Boutique at Montreal Eaton Centre

News Craig Patterson -
Swiss watchmaker Tissot has opened its first Canadian boutique at Montreal Eaton Centre, marking a key milestone in its North American retail expansion.

Galerie de Bellefeuille Expanding to New York and Miami

News Craig Patterson -
Galerie de Bellefeuille marks 45 years with plans to open new gallery locations in New York City and Miami in 2026.

Hike in retail sales in November: Statistics Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Core retail sales rose 1.6% in November after decreasing in the previous two months.

Fairmont partnering with Truman for new luxury Calgary downtown area hotel

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The new mixed-use development when complete, will house beautifully appointed guest rooms; a signature spa and wellness offering; a robust meetings and events program supporting Calgary's burgeoning convention demand and 100 luxury branded residences.

Canadian holiday shoppers getting savvier: NerdWallet

News Mario Toneguzzi -
33% of 2025 holiday shoppers shopped only during sales, deals and promotions and 23% used loyalty points or cashback to pay for holiday gifts.

Tourisme Montréal, Palais des congrès secure slate of major conventions worth nearly $100M

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The organizations said the bookings, spread over several years, add to Montréal’s pipeline of large-scale business events and are all slated to take place at the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

EQ3 Appoints Jim Hunt as President

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Hunt will now focus exclusively on EQ3, with a clear mandate to strengthen profitability, drive long-term growth, and continue building on the brand’s strong design-led foundation.

Dr. Phone Fix expands to 44 stores after rapid late-2025 growth, reports higher same-store revenue

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company said it continues to benefit from strong consumer demand for device repair services, citing rising device replacement costs, increased reliance on mobile technology and a growing focus on repair and sustainability over replacement.

Canadian Soccer Business names EB Games Canada exclusive video game retail partner

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The agreement makes EB Games Canada the Official and Exclusive Video Game Retailer of Canada Soccer and the Canadian Premier League, positioning the retailer within the national soccer business structure that oversees commercial partnerships and media rights for the sport in Canada.

Reebok names KAROL G global brand ambassador as it relaunches Classics line

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The agreement places KAROL G at the centre of Reebok’s global marketing and brand storytelling as the footwear and apparel maker rolls out a new campaign, “Born Classic. Worn for Life.”

CFIB Business Barometer: Small business confidence remains steady in January

News Mario Toneguzzi -
More businesses reported struggling with tax and regulatory costs (70%), followed by insurance (69%) and wage costs (62%).
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