Lee Rivett

BOSS Returns to Vancouver’s Oakridge Park with New Flagship Store

Lee Rivett -
BOSS has returned to Vancouver's Oakridge Park with a 3,500-square-foot flagship featuring tailoring, lifestyle collections and personalized styling services. The store opened in May and was celebrated in October.

Apple Maps Advertising Goes Live in Canada, Giving Retailers Another Way to Reach Shoppers

Lee Rivett -
Apple Maps advertising is now live in Canada, giving retailers and local businesses paid visibility in Maps searches. The new placements offer another way to reach nearby shoppers, although campaign costs and measurable sales results will determine their value.

Walmart Brings Sparky AI Shopping Assistant to Canada

Lee Rivett -
Walmart has launched its Sparky AI shopping assistant in Canada, bringing conversational product discovery and shopping-list tools to Walmart.ca and its mobile app. The rollout follows U.S. findings of higher average order values among Sparky users as Canadian retailers expand their AI commerce strategies.

Walmart Canada Overhauls Great Value as Private-Label Grocery Competition Intensifies

Lee Rivett -
Walmart Canada is redesigning Great Value packaging across its private-label assortment, with nearly 150 products expected to transition in 2027. The rollout comes as Loblaw, Sobeys and Metro compete for Canadian shoppers through their own store brands.

lululemon Adds Shopify’s Shop Pay to Canadian and U.S. Online Stores

Lee Rivett -
lululemon has introduced Shopify's Shop Pay across its Canadian and U.S. e-commerce websites, adding accelerated checkout and Shop app product discovery without replacing its existing online infrastructure.

Aritzia Could Target $10 Billion in Revenue as Stifel Examines Next Phase of Growth

Lee Rivett -
Aritzia could unveil a fiscal 2032 revenue target of up to $10 billion at its October 27 Investor Day, according to Stifel. The analysis examines U.S. store expansion, international growth, profitability and potential opportunities in menswear.

Loblaw Expands Multi-Brand Apparel Strategy Beyond Joe Fresh

Lee Rivett -
Loblaw is expanding Joe Fresh with national and licensed apparel brands as Costco, Walmart and Winners compete for Canadian clothing shoppers.

MTY Food Group Shifts Focus to Franchising as Canadian Restaurant Sales Stabilize

Lee Rivett -
MTY Food Group is reducing corporate-owned restaurants and reviewing its brand portfolio as Canadian sales stabilize. Mall-based restaurants, breakfast concepts and sushi brands are among the strongest performers, while the company targets renewed growth through franchising.

Levi’s Canadian Retail Strategy Takes Shape After Hudson’s Bay Closure

Lee Rivett -
Levi's adapts its Canadian retail strategy after Hudson's Bay, balancing stores, Walmart, Mark's and Holt Renfrew as global wholesale sales grow.

SUPER MINISO Opens at Square One as Retailer Confirms Montréal Expansion

Lee Rivett -
MINISO opens its first international SUPER MINISO at Square One in Mississauga and confirms new store openings in Montréal, Winnipeg and Toronto.

Pokémon Card Thefts Push Canadian Retailers to Rethink Store Security

Lee Rivett -
Pokémon card thefts across Canada are prompting retailers to rethink security, insurance, inventory storage and how valuable products are displayed and sold.

Canadian Shoppers Grow More Selective as Holiday Spending Intentions Weaken

Lee Rivett -
A new Stifel survey finds Canadian consumers entering the 2026 holiday season with weaker spending conviction. Holiday budget intentions fell sharply, while value retail remains resilient and higher-income shoppers show growing caution across several discretionary categories.

Why Grocery Pricing Rules Could Help Some Retailers and Hurt Others

Lee Rivett -
Minimum advertised pricing can make it harder for discount grocers to promote lower prices. Independent retailers argue those same rules can help them compete against national chains with greater purchasing power.

SUPER MINISO to Enter Canada as Retailer Expands Multi-Format Store Strategy

Lee Rivett -
SUPER MINISO will make its Canadian debut October 10 at Square One in Mississauga, with another location planned for CF Polo Park. The format joins MINISO LAND as the retailer expands its larger, IP-driven store strategy across major Canadian shopping centres.

Walmart Enters Squamish Grocery Market After 20 Years of Retail Restrictions

Lee Rivett -
Walmart Canada has converted its Squamish, B.C. store into an 86,000-square-foot Supercentre after local restrictions that limited fresh grocery sales were removed.

La Cordée Closure Ends Six-Year Turnaround Attempt in Quebec Outdoor Market

Lee Rivett -
Quebec outdoor retailer La Cordée is shutting down after 73 years, ending a six-year turnaround that included new ownership and store expansion. The retailer returned to creditor protection in July 2026 with more than $13 million in obligations.

Canadian Retail Supply Chains Face Scrutiny as $63.3B in Imports Linked to Labour Risk

Lee Rivett -
World Vision estimates $63.3 billion in Canadian imports were associated with documented child- or forced-labour risks in 2025, led by electronics and apparel, as Ottawa considers stronger border enforcement that could raise traceability demands for retailers.

7-Eleven Brings Korean Bestsellers to Canada as Global Food Strategy Expands

Lee Rivett -
7-Eleven Canada is importing top-selling Korean snacks from another 7-Eleven market for the first time, extending a food strategy that increasingly draws on products tested elsewhere in its global network. The move follows the success of its Japanese-style egg salad sandwich.

DAVIDsTEA Eyes Further Canadian Expansion as Store Sales Gain Momentum

Lee Rivett -
DAVIDsTEA is considering further Canadian store expansion in 2027 as comparable sales rebound, margins improve and new locations open across the country.

UNIQLO Expands Canadian Footprint While Reworking Montreal Flagship

Lee Rivett -
UNIQLO reopened its renovated Montreal Eaton Centre flagship on September 18 with customization, embroidery and repair services as the retailer continues expanding its Canadian network. The company now operates 39 stores in Canada, with further locations expected.

Reitmans’ Store Investments Show Gains as Flagships Post Double-Digit Growth

Craig Patterson -
Reitmans and RW&CO flagships at CF Carrefour Laval and CF Toronto Eaton Centre posted double-digit sales growth as RCL invests in larger, more productive stores.

Jumbo to Open First Canadian Store at Vaughan Mills in Former Toys “R” Us

Lee Rivett -
Greek value retailer Jumbo will open its first Canadian store at Vaughan Mills, taking about 47,000 square feet formerly occupied by Toys “R” Us.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.
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