SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

Canadian Consumers Keep Spending Despite Weak Economy and Trade War

News Lee Rivett -
Canadian consumers continue spending despite trade tensions and a weaker labour market, with Walmart, TJX and other retailers posting strong results.

Neo Financial chops 10% of its workforce

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The financial technology company was founded in 2019 by the co-founders of SkipTheDishes.

Toronto Pearson transforming customer experience with 30+ retail, dining openings

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Toronto Pearson has been named Best Large Airport in North America (serving more than 40 million passengers) seven times in the last eight years by Airports Council International, the global trade representative of the world's airports.

Brunello Cucinelli to Open at Fairmont Château Whistler as Oxford Elevates Luxury Retail Mix

News Craig Patterson -
Brunello Cucinelli will open at Fairmont Château Whistler as Oxford Properties elevates the resort’s retail concourse with additional luxury brands expected.

Dog Menus Could Boost Restaurant Visits and Spending, TMU Study Finds

News Evan Nagy -
Toronto Metropolitan University research finds dog-specific restaurant menu items can increase visit intent, word-of-mouth and customer spending

IKEA Canada to open first compact store in London, Ont. on Sept. 29

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The London store will feature room sets and home furnishing solutions, as well as about 400 furniture items available for immediate purchase and takeaway from its self-serve warehouse.

Miniso Expands MINISO LAND in Canada as Retailer Shifts to ‘Quality First’ Growth

News Craig Patterson -
Miniso is opening its second Canadian MINISO LAND at CF Toronto Eaton Centre as the retailer shifts its global expansion strategy toward larger, more productive stores.

Daily Synopsis: Sep 8, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Canadian retail highlights include MEC's trail running expansion and challenges from U.S. tariffs impacting margins and staffing strategies.

MEC Deepens Investment in Trail Running as Category Gains Momentum

News Craig Patterson -
MEC is expanding its trail running business with a broader product assortment, Canadian brands, staff expertise and new community programming across Canada.

VIDEO: Retailers face margin pressure, uncertainty as Canada’s U.S. counter-tariffs take effect

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Retailers should examine their supply chains, seek Canadian suppliers and consider sourcing from other countries to reduce risk.

Casavogue Launches “We Pay Both Taxes” Furniture Promotion

News Retail Insider -
Casavogue’s “We Pay Both Taxes” promotion offers savings on qualifying furniture purchases as Montréal shoppers prepare their homes for fall.

Canadian Retailers Keep Expanding as Staffing Gets Leaner

News Craig Patterson -
Canadian retailers continue opening stores as employment data weaken. Suzanne Sears explains leaner staffing, part-time hiring, wages and changing retail jobs.

Canada’s New Counter-Tariffs to Impact Food Sector Supply Chains

News Sylvain Charlebois -
As counter-tariffs come into effect on September 8, Canadian food processors and retailers brace for economic impacts. This article explores how these tariffs could lead to shrinkflation and affect consumer prices in the near future.

Läderach expands North American presence with second location in British Columbia

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Läderach has opened a store at CF Pacific Centre in Vancouver, which follows a string of successful launches across North America, including the recent openings in Connecticut at Westfarms and in Utah at City Creek Mall.

WINNERS teams up with Craig’s Cookies for nationwide in-store campaign

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The campaign, called AcceptCookies.IRL, will launch in stores in Calgary, Windsor, London, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax.

Alberta launches tariff portal for businesses

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The government said the portal launches as businesses continue to assess the impact of recent U.S. tariffs and Canada's planned retaliatory measures.

Richelieu investing more than $15 million to expand Drummondville distribution centre

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The project will expand the facility from nearly 40,000 square feet to 180,000 square feet and is expected to be completed in time for the expanded centre to become operational in spring 2027.

Walmart Canada, foundation commit US$250,000 to B.C. wildfire relief

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The contribution comes as Walmart Canada concludes its annual fundraising campaign for the Canadian Red Cross, which raised more than $3.9 million for local disaster relief.

Daily Synopsis: Sep 4, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
New Lululemon CEO has uphill battle, Metro to close Montreal ecomm 'ghost store', NB appliance store stocks up ahead of tariffs, ready-to-drink cocktail brand Duchess opens 1st BC cafe, and other news.

From The Desk: Canadian Retail Navigates Expansion, Consumer Shifts, and Supply Challenges

News Craig Patterson -
This week in Canadian retail: store expansion, shifting consumer spending, tariffs, supply chain pressures, loyalty strategies and key industry developments.

Lululemon Cuts Store SKUs by 15% as Retailer Slows Expansion

News Craig Patterson -
Lululemon is cutting store SKUs by 15%, testing localized assortments and slowing net expansion while continuing to invest in Canadian stores.

Jollibee marks 10 years in Canada with promotional campaign and plans for 26 more restaurants

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Filipino fast-food chain, which opened its first Canadian restaurant in Winnipeg in December 2016, now has 28 locations across five provinces.

Massive T&T Supermarket to open in former Bay space at CF Markville

News Mario Toneguzzi -
CF Markville will be T&T’s 18th location in Ontario, and it also marks the fourth partnership with Cadillac Fairview, following CF Fairview Mall, CF Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke, and CF Polo Park in Winnipeg.

Canada loses 42,000 jobs in August: Statistics Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Wholesale and retail trade (-55,000; -1.8%) recorded the largest decline across industries over the past 12 months.

Pilgrim Plans Canadian Expansion After Oshawa Store Opening

News Craig Patterson -
Pilgrim CEO Robert Hayes discusses the jewelry brand's Canadian expansion plans, new Oshawa Centre store, suburban performance, growing wholesale network and the increasing role of piercing services.

Typical expanding its reach and its stretchable towel product

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Typical is now selling through The Knot, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom, while building out corporate gifting and hospitality channels alongside its DTC business.

Calgary’s Forum Thermal to open 18,000-square-foot urban spa in late 2026

News Mario Toneguzzi -
With six signature pools, three saunas and two steam rooms, Forum will offer a series of interconnected experiences. 

OpenRoad Auto announces 16-acre Surrey automall development

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Surrey Auto Loop, located at 13340 76 Avenue, is being developed in partnership with Conwest Developments and will include seven lots and approximately 166,000 square feet of commercial space.

Many small businesses at risk due to trade war: CFIB

News Mario Toneguzzi -
One in five (18%) small exporters and 11% of importers affected by the Canada-U.S. trade war say they would stop being financially viable if the trade war lasts three months or more.

Grocery Prices Face New Pressure as Ottawa Imposes Counter-Tariffs

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Sylvain Charlebois examines how Canada’s new counter-tariffs could affect grocery prices, food inflation and affordability as Ottawa extends fuel-tax relief.

Daily Synopsis: September 3, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Lululemon reports numbers, Gather Packaging pivots after US tariffs, Couche-Tard shifting convenience store mix, D Spot Expansion, and other news.

Lululemon Canada Sales Fall 11% as Outlook Weakens

News Craig Patterson -
Lululemon's Canadian revenue fell 11% in Q2 as traffic and product challenges intensified, with the retailer warning of deeper declines ahead.

Retail Insider’s Canadian Retail Monitor — August 2026 Edition: Demand Strengthens as Volumes Rise

News Craig Patterson -
Retail Insider’s first edition of the Canadian Retail Monitor finds demand strengthened, with sales volumes rising faster than headline sales. Health, apparel and general merchandise led growth, while grocery weakened and e-commerce rebounded sharply.

Gather Packaging Pivots to Canada After 50% U.S. Tariff

News Craig Patterson -
Toronto-based Gather Packaging is targeting Canadian retailers after a 50% U.S. tariff disrupted a market representing more than 75% of its plant volume.

Canadian puzzle brand Villager Puzzles builds business around women artists and retail growth

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Villager Puzzles collaborates with Canadian women artists, who receive uncapped royalties from every puzzle sold. Some artists have earned between $10,000 and $28,000 over the past year.

BRP raises full-year earnings guidance as second-quarter revenue climbs 18.5 per cent

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Quebec-based powersports company reported revenue of $2.24 billion for the three months ended July 31, up from $1.89 billion a year earlier.

D Spot Dessert Café expands into U.S. with Dallas launch, eyes Houston, Chicago, Nashville and Atlanta

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Founded in Canada in 2014, D Spot has grown to more than 55 locations nationwide and recently launched its first American location, marking a significant milestone for the brand.

Restaurants Canada welcomes extension of Federal Fuel Excise Tax suspension

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Gas costs have risen by an average of 46% since December 2025, contributing to higher food and transportation costs and supplier fuel surcharges, reported by 86% of restaurants.

Couche-Tard Reshapes Convenience Store Mix as Consumer Habits Change

News Craig Patterson -
Couche-Tard is shifting store assortments as food, energy drinks and functional products grow while traditional convenience categories soften.

Daily Synopsis: September 2, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Canadian Tire launches loyalty program with Tim Hortons, Lululemon expands resale program to Canada, City of Edmonton launches shop local campaign, 100+ year Lunenburg women's store closing, Ontario teachers reportedly gouged with Staples pricing, and other news.

Margins, Losses, Surplus: What Food Waste Really Costs Small Businesses

News Craig Patterson -
FoodHero is helping independent Canadian retailers turn surplus food into revenue, reduce waste and reach new customers as it expands its platform.

Kit and Ace Relocates at CF Sherway Gardens as Expansion Continues

News Craig Patterson -
Kit and Ace has relocated at CF Sherway Gardens, moving into a 2,370-square-foot store that CEO David Lui says is performing better.

Gap Sales Surge as Old Navy Reshapes Canadian Store Network

News Lee Rivett -
Gap continues its strong sales momentum as Old Navy works to improve performance while reshaping its Canadian store network through closures and new locations.

Why Brand Activations Are Becoming an Important Part of Retail Marketing

News Craig Patterson -
Brand activations are becoming a bigger part of retail marketing as brands use physical experiences, creator content and memorable environments to connect with consumers.

Canadian Tire, Tim Hortons launch linked loyalty program

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The program is aimed at connecting the two loyalty ecosystems and giving customers additional rewards for purchases at participating Tim Hortons restaurants.

Jimmy John’s opens first Calgary restaurant in city’s University District

News Mario Toneguzzi -
This is the second location in Alberta since the brand’s first Canadian location opened in November 2024, with plans to open over six more before the end of the year.

New U.S. Tariffs Add to Cost Pressures for Canada’s Restaurant Industry: Restaurants Canada 

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Restaurants Canada research shows that 41% of operators are now operating at a loss or barely breaking even, compared with 12% in 2019.

Planet Fitness to open third Halifax-area location in Lower Sackville

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company also has locations in Moncton, Saint John and St. John's elsewhere in Atlantic Canada.

Daily Synopsis: September 1, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Surge in demand for Canadian-made food and products, New Lululemon CEO faces turnaround challenge, used bookstores navigate bulk orders amid AI book shredding fears, Safeway opens at Oakridge Park in Vancouver, and other news.

Couche-Tard Earnings Rise as Canadian Convenience Sales Flatten

News Craig Patterson -
Couche-Tard reports higher Q1 earnings as Canadian merchandise sales remain flat, while fuel volumes and margins strengthen.
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