Retail Insider Canada
Canadian retail news and analysis.
Casavogue Celebrates 54 Years with Anniversary Savings
Casavogue, Montreal’s flagship high‑end furniture showroom, marks its 54th anniversary with a $500 discount for every $3,000 spent on sofas, bedroom and dining sets. The promotion runs across a curated selection of premium collections, encouraging customers to refresh core home pieces. In addition, the retailer has extended its hours to include Sundays, catering to weekend shoppers. The milestone follows recent accolades, including a Top 3 city ranking and a 4.9‑star Google rating, underscoring its market leadership.
Walmart Canada Kicks Off Sponsorship with Canada Soccer to Bring Canadians Closer to the Game
Walmart Canada announced a multi‑year sponsorship with Canada Soccer and the Canadian Premier League, aiming to make the sport more accessible nationwide. The partnership features forward Jonathan David as Walmart’s official ambassador and includes grassroots initiatives, match‑day activations, and fan‑engagement offers....
Governments Suffer Big Decline in Alcohol Earnings: Statistics Canada
Federal and provincial governments collected $15.5 billion from alcohol and cannabis in FY 2024/25, marking a 2.0% drop in total alcohol earnings – the steepest decline since 2004/05. Alcohol sales fell 1.6% in value and 3.0% in volume despite a 1.6%...
Capri Flare Yoga Pants: Length and Fit Options for Petite to Tall
Capri flare yoga pants blend a cropped length with a subtle flare, offering a polished look while aiming to solve common leggings issues such as sliding waistbands, bouncing pockets, and awkward calf cuts. The article explains how fit elements—high waist,...
What AI in the Back Office Really Means for Life on the Shop Floor
Retail back‑office AI is reshaping security by turning passive camera feeds into proactive threat detectors. Smart cameras now analyze video, audio and behavioral cues to spot loitering, aggression or concealed weapons, while instant alerts route incidents to on‑floor staff. Integrated...
Achieving Environmental Sustainability: A Strategic Roadmap for Modern Retailers
Retailers in 2026 are shifting sustainability from a marketing slogan to an operational imperative, integrating eco‑focused cleaning services, AI‑driven inventory management, and circular business models. Specialized cleaning firms now use biodegradable chemicals and LEED‑certified equipment, directly lowering store carbon footprints....
OPIA LAUNCHES CLIENT GIFT CONCIERGE TO MODERNIZE CLIENT GIFTING FOR REAL ESTATE & SERVICE PROFESSIONALS
Opia has introduced Client Gift Concierge™, a premium‑built digital gifting platform tailored for real‑estate agents and other service professionals. The solution replaces manual gift‑giving with instant, compliant, and retention‑focused rewards, offering access to more than 250 gift‑card options and automated...
Tariff Uncertainty and Affordability Pressures Causing Canadians to Put Brakes on Car Ownership: Turo
Turo’s fourth State of Car Ownership in Canada shows tariff uncertainty and rising cost‑of‑living pressures are dampening vehicle purchases. Seventy‑five percent of Canadians worry tariffs will lift prices, and one‑third say they are now less likely to buy a car....
Pet Valu Reports Q4 and Annual Financial Results, with Sales Growth, New Store Openings
Pet Valu Holdings reported a robust fourth‑quarter and full‑year 2025 performance, with system‑wide sales climbing 9.2% to $423.7 million and annual sales up 5.6% to $1.53 billion. The retailer opened 14 new stores, bringing its network to 863 locations, and posted adjusted...
Retail Investment in Calgary Dips in 2025: Barclay Street Real Estate
Calgary’s retail investment slipped 31% in 2025, totaling $531.5 million across 54 transactions. Deal sizes shifted upward, with half of the sales above $5 million and the largest at $54.5 million for a 201,000‑sq‑ft centre. Average pricing remained steady at $419 per square...
Nutrius CEO Says Trade Uncertainty Has Had No Impact on Operations as Company Pushes Innovation Pipeline
Nutrius CEO Charles Wachsberg told investors that ongoing tariff and trade uncertainty has not affected the company’s operations because all products are fully compliant with the Canada‑United States‑Mexico Agreement. He emphasized that Nutrius’s North‑American supply chain places its goods outside...
Why Easter and Other Seasonal Retail Items Hit Shelves Months Early Now: EY Canada
Retailers are placing seasonal merchandise, such as Easter items, on shelves months before the holiday because the design, manufacturing, and shipping processes require six to nine months of lead time. EY Canada partner Georgianna Ma explains that early placement helps...
Loblaw and Flashfood Helped Canadians Save $58 Million on Groceries in 2025
Loblaw’s partnership with Flashfood diverted more than 21 million pounds of near‑expiry food from landfill in 2025, delivering over $58 million in grocery savings to Canadian shoppers. The program attracted 92 000 new Flashfood users, expanding its reach to over 900 Loblaw‑branded stores...
Henri Sells 2 Million Bars Across Canada in One Year
Henri Nutrition, a Quebec‑based startup founded by a mother and her 9‑year‑old son, sold two million bars in its first year, expanding to 1,300 Canadian retail locations from just 40 a year earlier. The brand’s simple formula—no added sugar, seven ingredients...
AI Fraud Hits Canadian Companies’ Bottom Lines: KPMG
KPMG Canada’s latest survey reveals AI‑driven fraud is now a major threat to Canadian firms, with 72% reporting a profit loss of up to five percent last year. Eighty‑one percent of businesses that experienced fraud say the attacks were AI‑enabled,...
Galeries De La Capitale Adding Retail Tenants
Galeries de la Capitale, owned by Primaris REIT, is adding a wave of new retailers—including a 36,000 sq ft Winners store, a 3,750 sq ft lululemon, Kiokii, Lovisa, Chaudron Bavard, Beau et Bon, Boustan and a future 50,000 sq ft Les Ailes de la Mode anchor—boosting...
The Role of AI Transcription in the Future of Video Searches and Discovery
AI transcription is turning spoken video into searchable, time‑stamped text, addressing the long‑standing difficulty of locating specific information within video libraries. Modern speech‑recognition models now handle diverse accents and technical vocabularies with high accuracy, enabling instant transcript generation. By converting...
Mercatto Expands with New Location in Port Credit
Toronto‑born Italian chain Mercatto is opening its first location outside the city core, Mercatto Centrale, in Mississauga’s Brightwater waterfront community on March 13, 2026. The 8,500‑square‑foot restaurant offers over 290 seats, including a 90‑seat patio, and introduces an exclusive brunch menu. Operated by...
Giant Tiger and the Canadian Women’s Foundation Partner on International Women’s Day Shirt
Giant Tiger Stores Limited has launched its fourth‑year exclusive International Women’s Day shirt in partnership with the Canadian Women’s Foundation, with 100% of profits earmarked for the foundation’s gender‑equity programs. The design, created by Ottawa‑based queer artist Linh VH Nguyen in collaboration with...
DESIGNME Launches Rooting for All Women Campaign
DESIGNME, a Canadian vegan hair‑care brand, launched the “Rooting for All Women” limited‑edition campaign on Feb. 27, 2026. The initiative celebrates women’s personal and professional transformations and donates a portion of sales, up to $10,000, to women‑focused charities, including Montreal’s Chez Doris....
Businesses Anticipate Obstacles Ahead: Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada’s Q1 2026 Business Conditions survey shows 59.2% of firms expect cost‑related obstacles, down slightly from Q4 2025, while optimism rises to 73.1% for the next year. Inflation remains the top concern, cited by 40.8% of businesses, especially in...
High Liner Foods Reports Financial Results for Q4 and 2025
High Liner Foods reported Q4 2025 and full‑year 2025 results ending January 3 2026. Sales grew 15% in the quarter to $270.2 million and 7% for the year to $1.03 billion, while volume increased modestly. Adjusted EBITDA fell 19% in Q4 and 11% year‑over‑year,...
Neo Naturelle Targets Canadian Market with Hormonal Skincare Strategy
Neo Naturelle, a federally registered Canadian skincare brand founded in 2019 by chemist Nila Cook, is expanding nationwide to serve women experiencing hormonal changes such as perimenopause and menopause. After the pandemic forced a digital‑first launch, the company now combines...
Why Retailers Can’t Afford a Bad Delivery Experience in 2026
Retailers now bear direct responsibility for delivery performance, as a UPS Capital 2025 report shows consumer blame shifting from carriers (39 % vs 83 % in 2022) to retailers. Fast delivery ranks above price for 31 % of shoppers, and 85 % of merchants...
Roots Appoints Rosie Pouzar as Chief Commercial Officer
Toronto‑based premium outdoor brand Roots has appointed Rosie Pouzar as its new Chief Commercial Officer, elevating her from Head of Omnichannel Growth. Pouzar, who previously led Sephora Canada’s retail expansion, will oversee commercial strategy, operations, and customer insight across Roots’...
Jimmy John’s Opens First Saskatoon Location
Jimmy John’s opened its first Saskatchewan restaurant in Saskatoon on February 24, marking the brand’s entry into the province and extending its Canadian footprint. The location at 120‑225 Payne Bend offered the first 100 guests a free 6‑inch sandwich and drink,...
Patchwork Approach Threatens Canada’s Internal Trade Progress: CFIB
In 2025 Canada achieved unprecedented momentum on internal trade, highlighted by new mutual‑recognition legislation and the landmark pan‑Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) praised these advances but warned that uneven provincial implementation and vague memoranda...
Veg ER for Pets Opens Etobicoke Emergency Hospital as Part of North American Expansion
Veg ER for Pets has opened a 5,000‑sq‑ft, 24/7 veterinary emergency hospital in Etobicoke, marking its first Canadian location and expanding its North American network to 121 facilities. The open‑concept design lets pet owners stay with their animals during treatment, including surgery and...
Uber Eats Expands Canadian Grocery Selection with Launch of T&T Supermarket
Uber Eats announced the national rollout of T&T Supermarket on its platform, extending grocery delivery to the chain’s Asian‑focused stores across Canada. The launch initially covers Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, with Quebec slated for a later release. Customers can...
Chef and Entrepreneur Launch Canadian Chocolate Maker to Challenge Foreign Suppliers
Toronto chef Brandon Olsen and entrepreneur Michael Held are launching As We Do Chocolate, a premium Canadian‑made chocolate manufacturer aimed at the B2B market. The venture seeks to fill a gap left by U.S. and European conglomerates by offering high‑quality,...
Home Depot Sees Fiscal 2025 Sales Surpassing $164 Billion US
Home Depot reported fiscal 2025 sales of $164.7 billion, a 3.2% increase over the prior year, driven by modest comparable sales growth. Fourth‑quarter sales slipped 3.8% to $38.2 billion, reflecting a shorter reporting period and lingering consumer uncertainty. Net earnings fell slightly...
Partnerships Key to Unlocking Value in Payments Space: KPMG International
KPMG International’s new report warns that banks and retailers must forge strategic partnerships to keep pace with rapid payment‑technology change. Survey data from 500 banks and 500 retailers shows 54 % of retailers consider payment modernization essential, yet only 45 % say...
Cautious Holiday Spending Softens Typical January Credit Card Delinquency Spike: Equifax Canada
Equifax Canada’s Q4 2025 credit report shows total consumer debt rose to $2.65 trillion, up 3.1% year‑over‑year, driven by higher mortgage balances and a 4.5% jump in non‑mortgage debt. Non‑mortgage delinquency peaked at 1.73%, with the 26‑35 age group posting the highest...
Quebec Retail Hours Pilot Expands Weekend Shopping
Starting March 11, 2026 Quebec will launch a province‑wide, one‑year pilot that lets most retailers stay open until 9:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, ending the long‑standing 5:00 PM weekend curfew. Participation is voluntary, allowing merchants to choose hours based on staffing...
Reese’s Quality Debate Highlights Shrinkflation Risk
Brad Reese, grandson of the Reese’s creator, publicly accused Hershey of lowering quality in newer Reese’s extensions, while the company insists the classic cup remains unchanged. The criticism highlights a shift toward cheaper ingredients and smaller portions in seasonal and...
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling on Trump Tariffs a Welcome Development for Canadian Businesses
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down many of President Trump’s tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, including several that targeted Canadian imports. The ruling was hailed by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as a...
Why Ethical Shopping Intentions Fail at Checkout
Canadians express strong support for ethically produced goods, yet rising food prices push cost to the forefront of purchase decisions. Researchers found that framing the ethical premium as a price increase discourages buying, while offering the same price with a...
Loblaw Expands AI Commerce With Google Gemini
Loblaw Companies Limited has partnered with Google to let Canadian shoppers buy health, beauty and apparel items directly through Google Search’s AI Mode and the Gemini app. The move makes Loblaw the first major Canadian retailer to enable purchases via...
Vancouver Dessert Brand Plans Expansion Through Franchising
Vancouver‑based dessert chain The Praguery, known for European‑style chimney cakes with ice cream, is moving from four locations to a franchise model after six years of organic growth. Founder Jaroslav Mestka has codified a repeatable operating system and finalized franchise...
Retail Sales Decrease in December: Statistics Canada
Retail sales in Canada slipped 0.4% to $70 billion in December, marking the first monthly decline of the year. The drop was driven by a 1.6% fall in motor vehicle and parts dealers, while gasoline stations and fuel vendors posted a...
Activity Picking up at Calgary CF Market Mall and CF Chinook Centre
Calgary’s CF Market Mall and CF Chinook Centre are seeing a surge in leasing activity as Cadillac Fairview secures new retailers and brand expansions. Recent deals include Samsung, La Vie en Rose doubling its footprint, and first‑to‑market concepts like The...
CFIB Survey: Tax Burden Tops Small Business Concerns in Canada as Retailers Cite Costs, Regulation and Crime
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) released its latest Members Opinion Survey, revealing that 72% of small and medium‑sized enterprises cite tax burden as their top concern. Regulation and labour shortages follow closely, each affecting roughly half of respondents,...
RioCan REIT Reports ‘Strong Year’ for 2025 with 5 Million Square Feet of Leasing Activity
RioCan REIT reported a robust 2025, delivering 5 million square feet of leasing activity and a record‑high new‑lease spread of 37.3%. Blended leasing spreads rose to 21.1%, while same‑property NOI grew 3.6% for the year. The trust repatriated $741.7 million of capital,...
KITS Issues First-Quarter Guidance, Projects Revenue of up to $60 Million
Kits Eyecare Ltd. forecast first‑quarter revenue of $58 million to $60 million, reflecting 25‑29% organic growth. Glasses sales are expected to top $10 million, a year‑over‑year increase of more than 50%. The company projects adjusted EBITDA margins of 4‑6% while maintaining a disciplined...
CT REIT Reports Q4 and 2025 Annual Financial Results, Portfolio Continues to Expand
CT Real Estate Investment Trust reported a strong 2025 year, investing roughly $235 million in projects and expanding its portfolio by about 893,000 sq ft of gross leasable area. The fourth quarter saw net income rise to $191.3 million, up $56 million year‑over‑year, and AFFO...
Rising Costs Reshape Canadian Retail Development
Canadian retail development is confronting a new cost regime, with construction, labour and soft‑costs rising to a permanent higher baseline. Developers, tenants and investors are forced to recalibrate rent expectations and yield targets, creating a three‑way tug‑of‑war over profitability. Necessity‑anchored...
Ford Considers Family Day Mall Openings in Ontario
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the province will explore amending the Retail Business Holidays Act to allow most malls to remain open on Family Day. Currently, the law forces closures on nine statutory holidays, though downtown Toronto’s Eaton Centre operates...
How To Sell On Social Media: What You Need To Know Before Posting Products
The article outlines a step‑by‑step framework for selling products on social media, emphasizing platform selection, compliance, and visual storytelling. It details how Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube each suit different buyer intents and highlights common pitfalls such as category...
AI Transcription Technology Is Helping Retail Teams Automate Meetings and Content
AI transcription technology is being adopted by retail teams to automatically capture meeting conversations, turning spoken updates into searchable text. The solution eliminates reliance on handwritten notes and fragmented recap emails, ensuring every detail—from inventory decisions to task assignments—is preserved....
The Future of Retail: Integrating 3D Renderings Services with Augmented Reality (AR)
E‑commerce is moving from static product images to immersive 3D renderings that power augmented reality “see in your room” experiences. High‑quality, low‑poly models with PBR materials and optimized formats like USDZ and glTF enable real‑time performance on smartphones while preserving...