Michael McLarney

Zellers has revealed the locations of two more stores, this time in Ontario. The first is in Toronto’s North York district. The 25,000-square-foot standalone store will open on June 18. The next location is at the Tecumseh Mall in Windsor, Ont., and is scheduled to open sometime in July. The expansion follows the banner’s first store opening at Londonderry Mall in Edmonton in October 2025.

The Retail Council of Canada is hosting its annual convention this week, gathering retailers of all stripes from across Canada. The event, held at the Toronto Congress Centre near the city’s Pearson International Airport, has a variety of speakers and panels addressing a range of topics, from corporate repositioning and HR management to customer issues. But the single topic that dominated day one’s agenda was the use of AI and its impact on how retailers are doing business.

Dollarama is the latest retailer to adopt the Blue Rewards program. The former Air Miles brand was taken over by BMO in 2023 and recently renamed. BMO and Dollarama have announced a multi-year strategic partnership. BMO supports the program with a series of credit cards tied to points collection, Other groups using Blue Rewards include TIMBER MART and Kent Building Supplies.

The new owners of Zellers are investing big-time in the brand’s nostalgia factor. Ahead of the opening of a new 25,000-square-foot Toronto location today, the retailer has unveiled a series of experiences to celebrate the brand’s legacy with some new twists. They include a Zellers “Diner on Wheels,” the return of kiddie rides, and giant 25-foot inflatable Zeddy Bear outside new store.

Tractor Supply released second-quarter results this morning that show a net sales increase of 2.3 percent. However, the gain came from new store openings, as same-store sales were down 1.5 percent. Gross profit increased 2.6 percent to US$1.68 billion. Net income decreased 16.1 percent to US$360.7 million

Retail sales increased 1.0 percent to $73.7 billion in May, StatCan reports. Sales were up in all nine subsectors, led by increases at gasoline stations and fuel vendors. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers, were up 0.9 percent in May. In volume terms, retail sales increased 0.3 percent in May.

Ted Decker, chair, president and CEO of The Home Depot, is taking a temporary medical leave of absence. The company did not reveal the nature of the leave, but says it expects Decker to return within the next few months. The board of directors, in alignment with Decker’s recommendation, has chosen two Home Depot executives to oversee operations in his absence. Ann-Marie Campbell, senior EVP, will provide oversight of Home Depot’s day-to-day operations, while Richard McPhail, EVP and CFO, will oversee the company’s financial management and Pro subsidiaries.

J.D. Irving, the parent of Kent Building Supplies, has cleared approvals for the building of a new store on the north shore of Miramichi, N.B. According to the Northumberland Free Press, it will replace an existing store there (shown here). Infrastructure construction is expected to be finished before the end of October, while the store is slated for completion by June 25, 2027.

The Southwestern Ontario Home Hardware Group has launched “SW Buy Local 50,” a regional initiative to showcase products from 50 new southwestern Ontario vendors before December 2026. The participating Home Hardware dealers are in Newbury, London, Chatham, Sarnia, Tilbury and West Lorne. Manufacturers, makers, growers, distributors and suppliers from across southwestern Ontario are invited to submit products for consideration.

RONA inc. is renewing its partnership with Skilled Trades College (STC) for a second year. The goal of the collaboration is to support the next generation of skilled trades professionals by helping them access training programs and enter the workforce. As part of this agreement, RONA is again investing $40,000 in the RONA Future Trades Bursary program, which helps reduce financial barriers that can hinder access to specialized training. RONA and STC are also taking their partnership a step further by launching a program that will connect graduates with contractors seeking qualified labour.