SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

BRP focusing on off-road vehicle market

News Mario Toneguzzi -
BRP is planning to introduce a major off-road vehicle innovation every six months over the next four years.

TryCanadian.ca Launches as Consumers Search for Canadian Alternatives to U.S. Brands

News Craig Patterson -
TryCanadian.ca launches with more than 900 companies, helping shoppers find Canadian alternatives to U.S. brands as buying habits shift.

eBay Live partners with Toronto International Film Festival

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Until September 20 Shop the TIFF Edit will be a dedicated eBay Live destination featuring TIFF-inspired live shopping experiences hosted by sellers, with vintage finds, luxury pieces, statement looks, premiere-worthy fashion and movie-inspired style all up for discovery.

Canada business groups welcome Productivity Mega Deduction as boost to investment

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Restaurants Canada and the Retail Council of Canada welcome the federal government’s proposed Productivity Mega Deduction, saying it could spur investment in equipment, technology and infrastructure.

Home Depot Canada Foundation uses Fortnite to raise awareness of youth homelessness

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Home Depot Canada Foundation created a custom Fortnite map and Twitch campaign to raise awareness of youth homelessness and its challenges in Canada.

Dollarama Q2 sales increase 17.6% y/y to surpass $2 billion

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Net earnings increased by 8.7% to $349.3 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2027, compared to $321.5 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.

RCC Names Walmart and SC Johnson Executives Inaugural Sustainable Leaders of the Year

News Craig Patterson -
Retail Council of Canada names Walmart’s Kathleen McLaughlin and SC Johnson’s Fisk Johnson its inaugural Sustainable Leaders of the Year.

RBC says grocery prices likely to keep rising faster than overall inflation in near term

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The report said the largest recent spike occurred between 2021 and 2023, when grocery inflation reached its highest level since the early 1980s and food prices rose 11 per cent year-over-year in late 2022.

Canadian businesses face rising debt, payment stress: Equifax

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Average commercial debt per business rose 7.3 per cent year-over-year to $30,581, while the 60-plus-day delinquency rate on financial credit products reached 4.0 per cent, its highest level since 2019 and a 19.7 per cent increase from a year earlier.

Daily Synopsis: September 15, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Canadian companies look to capitalize on 'elbows up', Circle K capitalizes on back-to-school rush, No Frills takes North York No Frills, London Drugs launches community pharmacies, Costco opening 4 Canadian stores, and other news.

Nespresso opens new experiential kiosk in Montreal’s Royalmount

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The concept is inspired by Nespresso’s collaboration with Dua Lipa and its “By the Pool” campaign, bringing a colourful, summer-inspired and immersive experience to the shopping centre.

Criterion Establishes Permanent Toronto Retail Presence After Strong TIFF Demand

News Ritchie Po -
The Criterion Collection establishes a permanent Canadian retail presence at Cinema Cellar in downtown Toronto following strong demand from its TIFF activations.

Holiday shopping starts earlier as retailers face growing mobile, AI customer-experience risks: Quantum Metric

News Mario Toneguzzi -
As retailers roll-out new app campaigns, AI-driven features and discovery tools, they’re also introducing more opportunities for friction across the digital shopping journey.

LEGO Expands Canadian Store Network with Three GTA Locations

News Craig Patterson -
The LEGO Group is increasing its Canadian store network by 25% this fall, adding three Greater Toronto Area locations in what the company describes as its largest Canadian retail expansion in more than five years.

Walmart Canada Builds Supercentre Pipeline as Retailer Targets Malls and Growing Communities

News Lee Rivett -
Walmart Canada is expanding its Supercentre pipeline through 2028, targeting former department store spaces, growing communities and grocery expansion as part of its $6.5-billion investment.

Circle K, Couche-Tard launch app-based rewards campaign tied to customer visits

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Road to Rewards promotion runs from Sept. 15 to Nov. 9, and is the company's first app-integrated, visit-based campaign, according to Circle K Canada.

IKEA Canada marks 50th anniversary with new campaign focused on products’ role in everyday life

News Mario Toneguzzi -
When IKEA opened its first Canadian store in 1976, home life looked very different than it does today.

The high cost of doing business in the restaurant industry: EconoLease

News Mario Toneguzzi -
EconoLease’s 2026 Hospitality Operator Report found that restaurants’ most critical equipment breaks down the most, and many operators say they can’t afford to upgrade or replace it.

How Premium Brands Defend Pricing as Products Become Easier to Copy

News Retail Insider -
Why can some brands still charge premium prices when cheaper alternatives are everywhere? Justin Walford examines Canada Goose, Aritzia and Arc’teryx.

Nearly two-thirds of working Albertans feel less financially secure than a year ago: Money Mentors

News Mario Toneguzzi -
62 per cent of working Albertans feel less financially secure than they did a year ago, compared with 49 per cent nationally. Only 14 per cent said they are more financially secure.

Khloé Kardashian fragrance portfolio expands into Sephora in U.S. and Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The products will be sold in 1,300 Sephora U.S. and Sephora Kohl's locations, while Sephora will be the exclusive retailer for the fragrances in Canada.

Daily Synopsis: September 14, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Italian brands launch in Canada, Maple Leaf Foods brings back Yves Veggie Cuisine, Article opens Toronto store, food inflation runs higher in Canada vs. US, Empire opening stores, and other news.

Maple Leaf Foods Revives Yves Veggie Cuisine After Brand Was Discontinued

News Craig Patterson -
Maple Leaf Foods is bringing Yves Veggie Cuisine back to Canadian grocery stores after acquiring the plant-based brand following its 2025 discontinuation.

PC Health launches new “Built in Canada for Canadians” AI-powered health chat

News Mario Toneguzzi -
New research commissioned by PC Health found that 88 per cent of Canadians searched online for health information in the past year, yet nearly half (46 per cent) remain unsure whether the information they find is accurate, one-third (33 per cent) encounter conflicting advice, and more than one-quarter (26 per cent) say there is simply too much information to sort through.

Retailers report stronger-than-expected returns from modern POS systems: Aptos

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Retailers that have upgraded their systems reported improvements in store conversion rates, average transaction values and operational performance.

Intimissimi and Calzedonia Launch Canadian Expansion with First Stores at CF Sherway Gardens

News Craig Patterson -
Intimissimi and Calzedonia will open their first Canadian stores at CF Sherway Gardens, as a broader expansion gets underway.

Consumer prices rise 3% y/y in August: Statistics Canada

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Although prices for groceries decelerated this month, prices have increased 29.0% since August 2021.

Liminal Assembly Expands LoiterFEST as Forgotten Spaces Become Social Destinations

News Craig Patterson -
Toronto-based Liminal Assembly expands LoiterFEST across multiple cities, turning forgotten malls and transitional spaces into destinations for community, nostalgia and exploration.

North West Company Sees Northern Retail Spending Rise as First Nations Settlement Payments Accelerate

News Lee Rivett -
The North West Company is seeing stronger consumer spending in Northern Canada as First Nations settlement payments reach more communities, while fuel and freight costs remain elevated.

Canadian Small Businesses Grapple With Late Payments and Rising Debt

News Craig Patterson -
Daryl Ching of Vistance Accounting says Canadian SMEs are facing cash-flow pressure from late payments, inventory, tariffs and growing debt.

Empire Raises Store-Opening Target as Canadian Grocery Expansion Intensifies

News Lee Rivett -
Empire is raising its fiscal 2027 store-opening target to more than 25 locations as Sobeys, FreshCo, IGA and other banners expand across Canada.

Article advances retail expansion with Toronto furniture store (Photos)

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The new store features curated room vignettes, an extensive swatch library, and complimentary in-person Interior Design Services.

Why Food Inflation Is Running Hotter in Canada Than the U.S.

News Sylvain Charlebois -
Canadian grocery prices have risen faster than in the U.S. Sylvain Charlebois examines tariffs, productivity, competition, processing capacity and scale.

Premier Protein Expands Canadian Retail Assortment as Protein Demand Grows

News Craig Patterson -
Premier Protein is expanding its Canadian retail assortment across Costco, Walmart, Amazon and grocery as parent BellRing Brands pursues wider distribution.

What happens when viral TikTok trends move faster than retail inventory?

News Mario Toneguzzi -
AI can help brands spot these shifts earlier and make faster calls on replenishment while there's still time to act.

How SMBs can deliver like large retailers this holiday season: UniUni (Opinion)

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The holiday season can make or break a small or medium-sized e-commerce business.

Daily Synopsis: September 11, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Weight loss drugs boost grocer pharmacy, skyrocketing diesel could impact groceries, Costco opening more Canadian stores, Alberta Safeway employees vote to strike, downtown Edmonton sees retail vacancies, and other news.

Groupe Dynamite Shifts Growth to Higher-Productivity Stores as Garage Expands Globally

News Lee Rivett -
Groupe Dynamite is reshaping Garage around an older customer, higher-productivity stores and global expansion while optimizing its Canadian network.

Empire Rejecting Tariff-Related Supplier Price Hikes as Trade Tensions Escalate

News Lee Rivett -
Empire says it is rejecting tariff-related supplier price increases for now, citing sourcing alternatives as Canada-U.S. trade tensions escalate.

What Apple’s New iPhone Strategy Means for Canadian Retailers and Carriers

News Lee Rivett -
Apple’s iPhone Duo, higher Pro pricing and new launch calendar could reshape how Canadian retailers, carriers and consumers buy and sell Apple hardware.

Fraud Is Costing Canadian Merchants More Than They May Realize

News Craig Patterson -
The financial impact of fraud extends well beyond a lost transaction. Konek can help Canadian retailers build trust into the payment experience from the start.

Nearly 400 consumer insolvencies filed every day in Canada: Harris & Partners

News Mario Toneguzzi -
New federal figures show consumer insolvencies increased by 2.2%, while separate research found more than one-third of respondents had skipped essentials because of financial pressure.

Retailers rethink pricing strategies as tariffs hit nearly 900 product categories: Global-e

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Continued trade tensions reinforce the importance of diversification across international markets.

Canadian Retail Properties Perform Well in the First Half of 2026: CBRE

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Suburban fundamentals excelled in key retail formats, especially grocery-anchored centres, supported by population growth in select cities and consistent tenant demand, according to CBRE’s new survey

Winnipeg-based Activate to open first Australian location in Melbourne in early 2027

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Activate Melbourne (Highpoint) will be located next to HOYTS Cinema in Maribyrnong, Victoria, marking the company's entry into the Australian market and the first of several planned openings across the country.

INDOCHINO launches Fall/Winter 2026 campaign focused on made-to-measure tailoring

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Called Hold the Room, the campaign follows four friends over a weekend, using three settings — an afternoon arrival, an evening lounge and a formal dinner — to showcase the company's tailoring and fabrics.

Daily Synopsis: Sep 10, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Dynamite reports numbers, Harry Rosen shutting Bloor flagship Sept 12 with relocation a week later, Empire reports quarter, consumers use AI ahead of holidays, Jersey Mike's targets 300 Canadian locations, and other news.

Mercedes-Benz Refreshes Holt Renfrew Studio With Paul & Shark and New S-Class

News Craig Patterson -
Mercedes-Benz has refreshed its Holt Renfrew Studio in Toronto with a new Paul & Shark residency, the Canadian debut of the 2027 S-Class, and an immersive 140 Years of Innovation experience.

Trade war puts over 50,000 Canadian small businesses at risk: CFIB

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The CFIB is calling for immediate tax relief for small businesses through a Small Business Corporate Tax Rate cut.

Nearly 4 in 10 Canadian Shoppers Are Using AI for Shopping: Salesforce

News Craig Patterson -
Salesforce says 39% of Canadian shoppers have used AI for shopping as product discovery, retail marketing and e-commerce begin to change.
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