SPOTLIGHT ARTICLES

AI agents and the shopping experience: Myndlab

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The technology is advancing because AI-referred shoppers are commercially valuable.

Faire report: Social media is reshaping fashion trends and giving independent retailers an edge

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Faire’s latest report finds social is accelerating fashion trends, with independent retailers using faster buying cycles to respond to changing demand.

Daily Synopsis: September 17, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Stefano Ricci luxury boutique in Vancouver shuttering, Metro reaches deal with striking workers, Harry Rosen opens Toronto flagship September 22, GTA furniture retailer appears to go bankrupt, and other news.

Reitmans (Canada) Limited reports Q2 financial results, net revenues decrease 1.9% y/y

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Net earnings were $10.1 million ($0.20 basic and diluted earnings per share) as compared with net earnings of $13.1 million ($0.26 basic and diluted earnings per share) a year earlier.

Primaris Raises $200M With More Than $1B in Canadian Mall Acquisitions Under Negotiation

News Craig Patterson -
Primaris is raising $200 million in new equity while negotiating more than $1 billion in potential mall acquisitions. The financing adds capacity as the REIT continues buying major Canadian shopping centres from institutional owners and expanding its national portfolio.

Gen Z demands authentic digital experiences as AI reshapes retail: Sitecore

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Sitecore research finds 89% of Gen Z wants more authentic digital experiences, while nearly 70% have reduced engagement with brands they distrust.

Dollarama’s $5 Ceiling Is Becoming a Test for Canadian Retail

News Lee Rivett -
Dollarama is holding its $5 maximum price point as Canadian traffic continues to rise and cost pressures build. The widening performance gap with parts of mainstream retail raises questions about whether value shopping is becoming a permanent part of household spending.

STRONG Pilates launches new connected training technology as franchise expands globally

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The technology is being introduced in two phases, beginning in Australia and the United States, with a second phase planned for later this year that will add expanded data capabilities, deeper technology integration and a global rollout.

Bloor Street Retail Update: New Stores, Flagships and Major Changes Reshape Toronto Luxury Corridor

News Craig Patterson -
Toronto’s Bloor Street is seeing another wave of retail change, with RH, Delysées and Tiffany arriving, Holt Renfrew evolving, Harry Rosen relocating and major redevelopment projects moving ahead.

Verifran launches franchise intelligence platform to streamline candidate qualification

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Toronto-based company is positioning the platform as an intelligence layer between an initial franchise inquiry and a franchise development team

WestJet, Tim Hortons announce new in-flight coffee and loyalty partnership

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The partnership will see WestJet serve a new Tim Hortons coffee blend called Flight Roast on flights that currently offer in-flight refreshments, while members of the two companies' rewards programs will eventually be able to earn points through eligible Tim Hortons purchases.

BCG: Canadian retail spending splits further as higher- and lower-income households diverge

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Higher-income buyers place more weight on service and the buying experience, especially for bigger purchases like appliances.

Daily Synopsis: September 16, 2026

Curated Digest Retail Insider -
Mine & Yours Marks 13 Years as Luxury Resale Starts Looking More Like, TryCanadian.ca launches as Consumers Search for Canadian Alternatives, Dollarama Q2 sales increase 17.6% y/y to surpass $2 billion, RBC says grocery prices likely to keep rising faster than overall, and other retail news.

Cozey to open first permanent Montreal store as furniture retailer expands physical footprint

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The Montreal location is part of a broader expansion that has seen Cozey increase its physical retail presence while also entering new international markets.

RONA names Alain Ménard CEO as J.P. Towner moves to Sycamore Partners advisory role

News Mario Toneguzzi -
The company says Towner and Ménard will continue to work closely together during the transition as RONA moves into its next phase of growth.

Amazon invests more than $78 million in pay increases for Canada operations employees  

News Mario Toneguzzi -
Amazon is raising its average hourly base wage in Canada to $26.27 per hour — up from $25.27 in 2025 — representing a 4% year-over-year increase. 

Mine & Yours Marks 13 Years as Luxury Resale Starts Looking More Like Luxury Retail

News Lee Rivett -
Mine & Yours marks 13 years as the Canadian luxury reseller expands its retail footprint, deepens its Holt Renfrew partnership and builds a business model in which customers increasingly serve as both shoppers and suppliers.

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.
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