Canadian Connections 

The Information Link

May 5, 2021

• NEW ORC Podcast from 3SI & Retail Council of Canada

• Store Security Guard Accused of Racially Profiling Shopper
  -Security Guard Caught on Camera Following Black Woman Around Toronto Grocery Store

• Anti-Terrorism Legislation Targeting Canada's Proud Boys Chapter
  -Proud Boys Canada's demise could stiffen resolve of members, expert warns

• Canadians Struggle with Mental Health During Pandemic
  -Maintaining mental health at home and on the front line

• Dodging COVID Health Measures in Canada
  -The Growing Frustration Over Pandemic Restriction Cheaters

• Enforcing COVID Restrictions Taking Toll on Staff
  -Calgary restaurants and bars raise concerns about enforcement of COVID-19 health measures

• Mask Rage Targets Store Owner
  -Richmond, BC: Shopper berates pet store worker over mask policy

• Alberta liquor store lashes back at anti-maskers tormenting them

• Benchmark for Reopening in Canada
  -Official sees easing of restrictions when more than half of population vaccinated

• From the RCC: Employer vaccine policies - Your FAQs answered and more

• Stuck-at-home Canadians are buying more liquor

• K-Beauty Brand Innisfree Shutting All Canadian Stores due to Pandemic

• Canada's 'Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Industry'
  -Scammers get thousands every year from P.E.I. residents, say RCMP

• Walmart to open distribution centre in Moncton with 200 workers

• L.L.Bean Announces 4 More Canadian Stores Amid Accelerated Expansion

• Senate passes bill to force striking Port of Montreal employees back to work

• Retail sales up 4.8% in February, boosted by car dealers, gas stations

• Retailers want feds to postpone plastic ban for at least a year

• North Delta, BC: One man dead after shooting outside Scottsdale Centre mall

• Targeted Shooting Outside Mall
  -Shooting outside Willowbrook Mall in Langley sends man to hospital

• Suspect sought in knifepoint theft at Saanich Best Buy

• Knifepoint robbery at Subway in Milton under investigation

• OPP arrest duo after high-end perfume theft at Orangeville Shoppers

• Chilliwack RCMP seek c-store robbery suspect caught on security video

• Steinbach RCMP investigating clothing store theft, looking to identify suspect

• Police investigating break and enter, theft at c-store in Nova Scotia

​

April 28, 2021

• Retailers & Police Discuss Shoplifting Intervention
  -In wake of FreshCo video, Saskatoon businesses to consult with police about how handle alleged shoplifting incidents

• More Lockdown Protests in Canada
  -Peterborough police 'can't charge them all' but ready for anti-lockdown protest with Bernier, Hillier

• 'Compliance is a Noose'
  Protest against COVID-19 restrictions held at B.C. restaurant that defied health orders

• Canada Calling in the Military
  -Canada military will help out in Ontario as Covid positivity hits all-time high

• Massive PPE Reselling Scheme
  -Five Canadians facing charges in the U.S. for allegedly buying up PPE, reselling at higher prices

• The Trouble with Mandatory Face Masks in Canadian Retailers: Expert Commentary

• Canada to get 1.9M vaccine doses this week, including first J&J shots

• Deaths dropping among oldest Canadians as vaccinations ramp up

• North Dakota offers free Covid-19 vaccinations for Canadian truckers

• Amazon Regional LP Manager Makes List
  -Canadian Security Top 10 Under 40 2021 winners announced

• Protecting Canadian Retailers
  -Amazon Launches Intellectual Property Accelerator for Canadian Retailers and Businesses

• Disney to Close All Stores in Canada Amid Retail Strategy Shift

• Shopping Centre 'Le Boulevard' in Montreal to Shutter Entirely

• Wingstop to open 100 locations in Canada

• Shooting Outside Mall Linked to Gang Conflict?
  -Coquitlam, BC: Police investigating if shots fired near Coquitlam mall linked to gang conflict

• (Update) Ottawa: Man facing charges following shooting in mall parking lot

• York, ON: Man allegedly stole sets of lenses valued at $5,100 from eyewear store

• Aurora, ON: Charges laid in connection to two c-store robberies

​

April 21, 2021

• RCC Course on Preventing Racial Profiling in Stores
  -FREE Course for retailers on preventing consumer racial profiling

• More Anti-Lockdown Protests in Canada
  -20 charges laid after hundreds take part in Hamilton anti-lockdown, anti-mask protests

• Police Departments Suffering From 'Low Morale' Amid Protests
  -Retired Winnipeg officer starts petition to protect police from hate speech

• Montreal protesters denounce 8 p.m. curfew as unscientific, harmful to vulnerable

• 4 people fined $880 each after anti-lockdown protest in Strathroy, Ont.

• Canada's Lockdowns Continue
  -Ontario extends stay-at-home order, tightens enforcement in bid to curb surging COVID-19 variants

• Canadians Frustrated as the U.S. Vaccination Effort Soars
  -Exasperated Canadians watch Americans getting vaccinated faster

• COVID's 'Domino Effect' in Canada
  -Pandemic Hits Wholesalers in Canada as Retailers Struggle

• Front-Line Workers in Canada Facing Huge Challenges
  -Mental Health Resources for Retail Employees

• Vaccination slots fill up fast as eligibility lowered to 40 in Ontario

• Organized Crime Groups Cashing In?
  -Higher taxes will lead to more contraband cigarette sales, group says

• Canada's E-Commerce Boom
  -How Pickers, Packers, and Drivers Are More Important to the Brand Experience Than Ever in Canada

• Gap's Athleta is competing on Lululemon's home turf with first international stores

• Feds to clamp down on credit card swipe fees, payday loans

• (Update) Miller 'disgusted' by video of altercation between Indigenous woman and LP officer outside Saskatoon grocery store

• 'Nothing justifies this level of force,' lawyer says following FreshCo incident

• Winnipeg, MB: Canada Post mail carrier stole more than $40K worth of packages

• (Update) N.S. shop owner hopeful stolen jewelry will be found after charges laid in $55,000 break-in

• New Westminster, BC: Suspect arrested after store security guard threatened with a knife

• Mississauga, ON: Charges laid after alleged 'hate-motivated crime' at hardware store

• OPP arrest duo after high-end perfume theft at Orangeville Shoppers

• Milton, ON: Police investigating armed robbery at pharmacy

• Vancouver security guards allegedly bear sprayed twice while chasing liquor thief

• London, ON: Police looking for suspect in convenience store robbery

• Airdrie RCMP investigating armed robbery at East Lake Petro-Canada

• Back-to-back shoplifting incidents at Real Canadian Superstore

• OPP issues public appeal in Carleton Place armed robbery

​

April 14, 2021

• Hundreds of Maskless Rioters Hit Montreal
  -Riots rock Montreal as COVID-19 lockdown protests turn ugly

• Stores Damaged in Lockdown Protests
  -A Montreal Business Owner Said Damages From The Anti-Curfew Protest May Cost Up To $12,000

• Montreal PD's Hate Crimes Unit
  -Community groups call on Montreal to strengthen police hate crimes unit

• Anti-lockdown protesters voice support for Alberta small businesses

• Vaccine Frustration in Canada as COVID Cases Rise
  -Front-line workers say they're left out of Ontario's vaccine rollout

• Lowe's Canada Makes Pandemic Shift
  -Lowe's Launches Contactless Pick-Up Lockers for Purchases Amid Pandemic Shift

• 'Lockdown Bonuses' for Sobeys Workers
  -'The right thing to do:' Sobeys reinstates lockdown bonus for front-line workers

• Households expect return to pre-pandemic spending within a year

• WANT Apothecary Shuts All Physical Stores Amid Pandemic

• Ontario Canada Emergency Lock Down for 4 Weeks
  -'This is a new pandemic. We are now fighting a new enemy.'

• Spring Break Super Spreader Hit B.C. Canada
  -B.C. is implementing a three-week "circuit breaker"-style lockdown

• Small businesses in Thunder Bay, Ont., aim to support others during shutdown

• Businesses react to Alberta's restrictions rewind limiting service at gyms, eateries

• Porch Piracy on the Rise in Canada
  -How to fight back against porch pirates

• Cash Disappearing in Canada
  -In-Store Cash Payments Expected to Almost Disappear by 2024 in Canada

• Canadian fashion brand to introduce BOPIS with new POS system

• Hudson's Bay Flagship Properties Set to Undergo Massive Transformation

• Forever 21 Returning to Canada with Physical Stores

• Pop Mart's collectible toys now available at its first Canadian store in B.C.

• Canada's Brookfield to buy 7 UK retail parks

• 'Boost & Bust' Blitz Operation
  -Burnaby, BC: Anti-shoplifting blitz leads to 46 arrests at Metrotown mall

• Ottawa: Police investigating 'targeted' shooting at St. Laurent Shopping Centre parking garage

• Amherst, NS: Store owner says theft of $50K in jewelry 'absolutely horrifying'

• Corner Brook, NL: Man who committed pub armed robbery sentenced to 6 years

• St. John's, NL: Police investigating four armed robberies over 24 hours

• Kamloops, BC: Trio bear-sprays employees in liquor store robbery

• Thunder Bay man arrested over dollar store robbery with replica firearm

• Windsor, ON: Police seek witnesses to C-Store armed robbery

• Surrey, BC: 2 of 3 puppies still missing after weekend break-in

• Sudbury, ON: Man arrested in connection to pair of robberies

​

March 31, 2021

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• Canadian Lockdowns Causing Frustration
  -Disappointment, anger, confusion over BC's new restrictions on indoor activities

• Canadian Retailers Playing Key Role in Vaccinations
  -London Drugs pharmacies preparing to become COVID mass vaccination sites

• Fake COVID Websites Scamming Canadians
  -Beware of COVID-19 scams offering to help skip the line for vaccine

• Canada pauses AstraZeneca vaccine for under 55

• Why Canada's decision to delay 2nd doses of vaccines may not work for everyone

• Canada's Epstein Denied Bail - Again
  -Canadian judge denies bail for fashion mogul Peter Nygard

• IKEA's malls arm buys retail property in the centre of Toronto

• Retail sales fall 1.1 per cent in January to $52.5B: StatCan

• Couche-Tard signs deal to sell 49 stores, puts 306 more up for sale

• SIU clears 2 Hamilton officers after man shot dead at Cannon Street plaza

• Toronto Robbery Spree
  -Toronto, ON: Man, 3 teens charged in GTA retail robberies from 2019

• Victoria, BC: 3 'prolific offenders' arrested after threatening security guard with knife

• Lethbridge, AB: Robbery suspects apprehended after employee injured trying to retrieve stolen tools

• Vancouver, BC: One killed, five injured after mass stabbing at Vancouver library

​

March 24, 2021

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• From the Retail Council of Canada
  -March is Fraud Prevention Month - Alert from the Competition Bureau

• $37M in Fraud Losses - 11,789 Victims - 13,553 Incidents
  -Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre says people lost over $37M because of scams in 2020

• Fraud On the Rise Among Millennials
  -Experts warn young consumers about online fraudsters during Fraud Prevention Month

• The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

• Interac tips in support of Fraud Prevention Month

• Canadian Immigration Minister Mendicino marks Fraud Prevention Month

• Waterloo residents lose $57K+ due to gift card scams in first 2 months of 2021

• Third Wave Hits Ontario
  -Canada's largest province says it's in the third wave -- and officials worry the vaccine rollout may not happen fast enough

• Canada now vaccinating over 100K per day.
  -Here's what it will take to hit September target

• $2.2M COVID Study
  -Quebec researchers to study COVID-19 impact on grocery workers

• Ontario moves Ottawa area to Red-Control level of COVID restrictions

• Loblaws shows how food lovers have adapted to the pandemic

• Canada's 'Retail Apocalypse' Continues
  -The stores and restaurants closing the most locations across Canada in 2021

• Canadian Restaurants are on edge and 50% may not survive

• Canada's Epstein Tried Bribing His Own Daughter
  -Peter Nygard allegedly tried to 'bribe' his daughter with $1M house to proclaim innocence

• Fashion Mogul Fights Sex Charges From Cell With TV and Phone

• Chipotle to accelerate expansion into Canada

• Couche-Tard signs deal to sell 49 stores, puts 306 more up for sale

• UK-Based JD Group Expanding into Canada with 'Size?' Sneaker Retail Store Banner

• 25% of Canadian Gyms to Close Permanently

• Innisfil, ON: Brazen $13,000+ theft under investigation at the Roadshow's 400 Antiques Mall

• Mississauga, ON: Man armed with syringe robs store

• Guelph, ON: $12K worth of product stolen in downtown smash and grab

• Canada police arrest 18 suspects over stolen vehicles worth $4.5m shipped to Nigeria, Ghana, UAE

• Cannabis - Calgary, AB - Armed Robbery (2x)

• Gas Station - Yellowknife, NT - Armed Robbery

• Unnamed Business - Guelph, ON - Burglary

• Unnamed Store - Mississauga, ON - Armed Robbery

​

March 17, 2021

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• Toronto has had some of the longest COVID-19 business closures in North America

• COVID Infection Rates Climb inside Amazon Fulfillment Center
  -Amazon ordered to temporarily close Canadian warehouse over COVID-19 concerns

• Have COVID-19 variants pushed Canada into a third wave of the pandemic?

• 'Eventually, but not for today,' Trudeau says of reopening Canada-U.S. border

• Lagging vaccination rate puts Canadian factories at competitive disadvantage

• $160M in Fraud Losses Over Past Year
  -March is fraud prevention month, and experts warn of COVID-19 scams

• Waterloo Region residents lost nearly $300K to gift card scams last year, police say

• The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre

• Interac tips in support of Fraud Prevention Month

• Bail Hearing This Thursday for Canada's Epstein
  -Canada’s AG Seeking Limited Publication Ban for Peter Nygard’s Appeal

• 187K New Retail & Hospitality Jobs
  -Canada’s job market snaps back from second-wave setbacks

• Grocery Employee Files Breached
  -Coleman Group gets hit with cyber attack

• Opioid Deaths Rising in Canada
  -Opioid-related overdose deaths jump by 59 per cent in Ontario

• Largest Yearly Investment Yet for Walmart Canada
  -Walmart Canada to invest over C$500 million on store upgrades

• Sobeys to Acquire Majority Share of Longo’s

• Empire Expands Realm in Canada

• 50 Drug Stores Robberies Over Last Few Months
  -Calgary police make arrests in pharmacy armed robbery spree

• Regina man facing numerous charges in connection to attempted murder, armed robbery

• Killeen man pleads guilty to using knife at local store

• Thunder Bay, ON: Woman gets 16-month sentence for c-store robbery

• Suspect sought following shoplifting incidents at Kemptville business

• Winnipeg man charged in alleged credit card fraud, money laundering scheme

• C-Store - London, ON - Robbery

• C-Store - Thunder Bay, ON - Burglary

• Pharmacy - Calgary, AB - Armed Robbery

• Restaurant - Regina, SK - Armed Robbery

• Unnamed Store - Dartmouth, NS - Armed Robbery

​

March 10, 2021

• New Podcast on Canadian Retail's 'Reawakening'
  -Experts Peter Woolford and Stephen O'Keefe on How Retail is Changing and Where it's Going

• Front-Line Retail Workers Put in Dangerous Situations
  -Mask video shows 'difficult decisions' front-line staff face in pandemic, says Colemans

• 'We want this one ... to be the last one'
  -Toronto businesses reopen on Monday, but the spectre of 'back-and-forth' closures still looms

• 'Draconian Lockdown Measures' Not Working?
  -Ontario COVID lockdown not curbing caseloads, but punishing businesses, say MPPs

• GTA malls entering grey zone use staff at doors, tech to track capacity

• The Profound Effects of Losing Independent Retailers and Businesses in Canada During the Pandemic

• COVID enforcement blitz finds 44% of Windsor-Essex businesses in violation of rules

• Montreal Retail Struggles Amid Lockdowns and Consumer Shifts

• Enabling Canada's Epstein?
  -Accused Nygard 'co-conspirators' deny enabling their former boss

• Pandemic-Related Fraud Sweeps Canada
  -With pandemic-related fraud everywhere, from takeout to online shopping, here's how to spot it

• Many Canadians believe shopping online leads to fraudulent activity

• Alberta RCMP provide tips on spotting a scam during Fraud Prevention Month

• #1 E-Commerce Retailer in Canada?
  -Walmart Canada Accelerates E-Commerce Expansion with 1st in-Store Fully-Automated Fulfillment Centre

• Fraudsters preying on Canadians' insecurities in the midst of pandemic

• Tim Hortons plans to open 200 more restaurants in China, sell retail coffee on Alibaba

• Boathouse Entering Quebec, Triple O's Opening 30 Ontario Locations

• Habitat and Lowe's Canada partner on Blackfalds Women's Build projects

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• (Update) Winnipeg, AB: Inquest called into death of 16-year-old Eishia Hudson, shot last year by Winnipeg police

• Edmonton, AB: Police release video of $300K jewelry theft to find 2 more thieves

• Alberta watchdog investigates shooting death of woman in hotel by Calgary police

• Corner Brook, NL: Bail denied for man accused of theft, armed robbery

• Gas Station - Thunder Bay, ON - Robbery

• Jewelry Store - Edmonton, AB - Armed Robbery

​

March 3, 2021

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• 'It's the Wild West' in Vancouver
  -Grocery store owner says violent incidents out of control

• Vancouver Burglaries at 10-Year High
  -'Massive' security concerns surround vacant space

• Crime-Fighting Partnership
  -Edmonton Police Foundation partnering with MacEwan to prevent liquor store thefts

• Edmonton campaign plants actors in liquor store to help educate against theft

• Thieves Targeting Bitcoin machines?
  -With the high price of Bitcoin, are Sask. criminals cashing in?

• One-third of Canadians admit to having been a victim of fraud

• The Unintended Cost of Prolonged Shutdowns
  -Shorter, more frequent lockdowns could lead to fewer COVID-19 cases, study finds

• Ontario sees 1,023 new COVID-19 cases as 2 health units move back into lockdown

• Canada adds 2,300 new COVID cases as provinces split on next steps

• Planning for Canada's Post-COVID Retail Comeback
  -Brick-and-Mortar Will Continue to Be Critical for Retail in Canada Post-Pandemic: Claude Sirois

• International air travel to Canada fell 90 per cent from pre-COVID-19 times

• Canada approves AstraZeneca's COVID-19 shot in boost to vaccination push

• Private COVID Testing Arrives at Alberta Pharmacies in Under-Serviced Areas

• Canada's Epstein - Case Update
  -Peter Nygard appeals denied bail decision

• Victoria's Secret is closing up to 50 more stores in US and Canada

• Canadian Retail 2020 Winners and Losers: Ed Strapagiel Analysis

• Alberta: Truck loads of stolen property recovered by RCMP

• Cochrane, AB: $5,000 to $10,000 worth of collectibles stolen from Rebel Comics

• Man arrested after allegedly punching Burnaby Canadian Tire staff over mask rule

• Man charged with St. John's gunpoint carjacking, gas station robbery and bank holdup headed to trial

• Mississauga, ON: Police respond to male with firearm in convenience store

• Bitcoin Machine - Prince Albert, SK - Smash & Grab

• C-Store - Williams Lake, BC - Robbery

• C-Store - Kamloops, BC - Armed Robbery

• C-Store - Mississauga, ON - Armed Robbery

• Comic Store - Cochrane, AB - Burglary

• Sex Shop - Nanaimo, BC - Burglary

​

February 24, 2021

• 'Responding to Escalated Violence in Retail'
  -Hear from Sean Sportun at the Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• Third COVID Wave in Canada?
  -Trudeau warns of dangerous 3rd wave as Canada copes with vaccine 'drought'

• Ontario Scraps Plan to Ease COVID Restrictions
  -No Reprieve for Toronto as Tight Lockdown Extended to March

• 'Five hundred feet away, and they can let people inside, but I can't?'
  -Steeles Avenue a frustrating border for locked-down Toronto businesses

• CFIB Statement on Lockdown Extensions in Toronto and Peel

• Toronto small businesses weary from pandemic uncertainty

• Opinion: Manitoba retailers paid bigger COVID price than rest of Canada

• Vaccines are Only One Piece of the Puzzle
  -Mass vaccinations not only factor in Canada's reopening timeline

• Record Vaccine Delivery
  -Canada to receive record 640K vaccine doses this week with Pfizer, Moderna deliveries

• U.S. is outpacing Canada's COVID-19 vaccine rollout

• Retailers Rushing to Build Logistics Hubs
  -E-Commerce Explosion to Fuel Warehouse Building Boom in Canada

• Struggling Bars & Restaurants Facing New Competition from 7-Eleven
  -Why 7-Eleven's plan to serve alcohol in Ontario sparks concern - and curiosity - in business community

• Union workers call on Ontario to reject 7-Eleven proposal to sell alcohol

• Largest Monthly Drop Since April
  -Canada: Retail Sales decline by 3.4% in December vs. -2.5% expected

• Canadian Tire to Close National Sports Store Chain Amid New Competition

• How the Pandemic Has Changed Consumer Expectations While Accelerating Ecommerce in Canada

• Canadian retail sales of cannabis double in December 2020

• Scarborough, ON: Boy, 16, charged with murder in fatal strip mall shooting

• Vancouver, BC: Alleged mask thief cuts hands of LP officers during his escape

• Edmonton, AB: Another robbery too much for business owner during pandemic

• Quinte West OPP arrest three suspects in province-wide shoplifting spree

• Welland, ON: Canine helps track down suspect after pharmacy armed robbery

• Kingston, ON: 3 men arrested following armed robbery of convenience store

• C-Store - Kingston, ON - Armed Robbery

• Pharmacy - Welland, ON - Armed Robbery

• Sports Shack - Edmonton, AB - Burglary

​

February 17, 2021

• 'Responding to Escalated Violence in Retail'
  -Hear from Sean Sportun at the Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• Canada's Phased Reopening
  -Why Ontario will ease province-wide COVID-19 lockdown regionally

• No Timeline for Reopening Toronto
  -Toronto mayor says city should 'stay the course,' calls for 'very cautious' approach to reopening

• St. John's metro region in lockdown as cases balloon

• Forced store closures dampen Indigo's holiday sales period, but profits still climb

• COVID Safety Inspections Ramp Up in Canada
  -Ontario conducts inspection blitz of distribution centres in Peel Region

• 'No Face Masks Allowed'
  -B.C. business owner posts sign banning masks from store

• Restaurant and Retail Workers Facing Abrasive Customers Over COVID Rules

• Canada's Slow Vaccine Rollout Gets a Boost
  -Canada prepares for single biggest Pfizer vaccine shipment to date

• Why Canada is falling behind in Covid vaccinations

• Vaccines intended for N.S., N.B. to be diverted to Northern Canada

• Canada's COVID 'Infodemic'
  -Chief public health officer takes aim at COVID-19 'infodemic,' urges vigilance over misleading online content

• New rules requiring a negative COVID test at Canadian border now in effect

• New Unarmed Police Force in Canada?
  -Saskatoon police to roll out unarmed 'alternative response officers'

• More Disturbing Details About Retail's Jeffrey Epstein
  -Model Beverly Peele alleges women 'couldn't leave' Nygard sex parties

• In Case You Missed It: Fashion Mogul Peter Nygard Denied Bail by Judge

• Store Adds More Security as Robberies Increase
  -Edmonton, AB: Store targeted by armed masked men in the middle of the day

• Conception Bay South, NL: Thieves suspected to have used a front-end loader in c-store robbery

• Montreal, QC: Break-Ins Made Valentine's Day Weekend a Costly One for These Griffintown Restaurants

• C-Store - Conception Bay South, NL - Smash & Grab Burglary

• C-Store - Thunder Bay, ON - Armed Robbery

• Jewelry Store - Toronto, ON - Burglary (2x)

• Pharmacies - Calgary, AB - Burglary (3x)

• Thrift Store - Westboro, ON - Burglary

​

February 10, 2021

• Still 'No End in Sight' for Some Businesses
  -Easing of Retail Lockdowns in Ontario Not Enough to Save Many Businesses

• Coronavirus variants are spreading throughout Canada. Is it still safe to reopen?

• Ontario will slowly open the door to some non-essential retail in the coming weeks - but many businesses are frustrated at being left out

• Alberta begins Step 1 of easing COVID-19 restrictions

• COVID Lockdowns Leading to Permanent Closures
  -Study Tracks Retail and Restaurant Closures Across Canada

• Canada's Vaccine Woes Continue
  -Canada's vaccines delayed again: Moderna to send fewer COVID-19 vaccine doses while Pfizer issues continue

• Canadians Support COVID Travel Restrictions

• Declare thrift stores essential, Ottawa woman urges province

• Teens lose work as part-time retail jobs vanish due to COVID-19

• Clearview AI's Misconduct Opens Larger Discussion Around Privacy and Use of Technology in Canadian Retail Locations

• Clearview's facial recognition tech is illegal mass surveillance, Canada privacy commissioners say

• 'The Rumors Became Real'
  -Former Nygard employees, intern say fear, intimidation, even sexual harassment commonplace at the company

• Racial Bias in the U.S. is Spilling Into Canada
  -The retail sector has a racial bias problem - and this Sephora survey suggests it's costing it customers

• J.Crew has officially closed all of its Canadian stores

• Big Changes Coming for Canadian Grocery in 2021 and Beyond: Expert

• Nordstrom Appoints New Canadian Head of Stores

• Air Canada to temporarily cut 1,500 jobs, suspend 17 routes

• Serial Robber Has Long Criminal Record
  -Halifax, NS: Man accused of committing four robberies in two hours

• Waterloo, ON: Employee assaulted during convenience store robbery

• Police in P.E.I. seize more than $45K worth of hydromorphone, arrest two men

• Charlottetown, PEI: Suspended sentence for theft for Summerside man

• Vancouver, BC: Anti-masker accused of threatening employee with baton after stealing apple

• C-Store - Waterloo, ON - Robbery/Employee Assaulted

• CIBC- Halifax, NS - Robbery

• Dog Store - Halifax, NS - Robbery

• Drug Store - London, ON - Burglary (2x)

• Pharmacy - Halifax, NS - Robbery

• Roots - Halifax, NS - Robbery

​

February 3, 2021

• Shoplifting Down 47% - But Business Break-Ins Increased
  -Overall crime dropped during Covid-19, StatsCan says

• DoorDash Scam Targeting Canadians?
  -TD customers in several provinces hit with fraudulent DoorDash debit charges

• Lockdowns Lifted in Manitoba
  -Relaxed restrictions in effect for retailers & hair salons

• Quebec to open businesses, hair salons on Feb. 8, keep curfew in place

• Pandemic rules for stores, malls a grey zone for shoppers

• Employees Cut Amid Ongoing COVID Lockdowns
  -Hudson's Bay permanently laying off more than 600 workers across Canada

• Shutout by allies, Canada will produce its own vaccines by the end of 2021

• Canadian mogul fined after getting Covid vaccine meant for Indigenous residents

• Canada's Jeffrey Epstein
  -Secret Nygard videos show former fashion mogul charged with sex trafficking travelling with teenage girl

• Canada's Retail Staffing Crisis Grows as People Flee Big Cities
  -Mounting Retail Staffing Crisis in Canada Requires As Talent Pool Thins

• Top Canadian Grocers
  -Longo's lands top spot on customer experience index

• Nordstrom Appoints New Canadian Head of Stores

• Retailers saw a boost in November before lockdowns began to bite

• Kiehl's to Shut 1/3 of its Canadian Stores as it Focuses on Ecommerce and Multi-Brand Retail Distribution

• Winnipeg, MB: Officer cleared in fatal shooting of liquor store robbery suspect

• Rimbey, AB: Clothing store broken into twice in 10 days, $24K worth of merchandise stolen

• Halifax, NS: Up to $7,000 in Pokémon cards stolen in game store break-in

• Winnipeg man charged after 15 stores, restaurants robbed since December

• West Vancouver robber uses bear spray to steal $10,000 worth of sunglasses

• St. Albert, AB: Fraudsters target senior for $2,000 in prepaid gift cards

• C-Store - Langley, BC - Robbery

• C-Store - Lower Sackville, NS - Armed Robbery

• Clothing Store - Rimbey, AB - Burglary (2x)

• Game Store - Halifax, NS - Burglary

• Sunglasses Store - Vancouver, BC - Armed Robbery

​

January 27, 2021

• RCC's Retail Loss Prevention Forum

• Vaccinating the Security Industry
  -Union calls for security guards to be added to vaccine priority list

• 200,000+ COVID-Related Closures in Canada
  -COVID-19 could shutter more than 200k Canadian businesses forever

• COVID Lockdowns = Mass Closures?
  -Half of Restaurants in Canada Could Shutter Permanently Amid Lockdowns

• Toronto BIAs Tell Premier Ford That Lockdowns Are Unfair

• COVID Cyber Scams
  -Fake Canadian COVID notification apps & websites aim to steal  money & personal data

• FedEx, Innomar score big contract to distribute COVID vaccine in Canada 

• Canada keeps end-September COVID vaccination target despite Pfizer delay 

• Made-in-Canada coronavirus vaccine starts human clinical trials

• 'Old, Sick, Broke, Lonely & Likely to Die in Jail'
  -For Peter Nygard, Alone and Jailed, Rags-to-Riches Story Turns Upside Down

• Peter Nygard to Be Spotlighted in Four-Part Streaming Series

• 45 Retail Bankruptcies
  -Retailers Led Bankruptcy Filings in Canada Over the Past 12 Months

• Salesforce Releases 2020 Holiday Shopping Report Showing Canadians Shifted Online in a Big Way

• Retail sales continue rebound, having risen 7 months in a row since  COVID low in April

• QuanU, other retailers find new real estate deals in Canada

• Godiva to close all 11 Canadian stores by end of March

• Organized Crime Leader Arrested Trying to Enter Canada
  -Nabbed Canadian man named as one of world's biggest drug kingpins learned underworld trade from Mafia in Canada

• Drug Trafficking Operation
  -‘Cocaine bananas’ shipped to Canadian grocery stores in botched operation

• Orillia, ON: Alleged five-finger-discount ends in drug/weapons seizure

• Halton, ON: Violent trio used robbery to stock up on supplies

• Winnipeg, MB: 2 men recovering after one was shot in suite above c-store

• Kawartha Lakes, ON: Lindsay man arrested after suspected shoplifting incident

• Charlottetown, PEI: Man charged after he was caught shoplifting

• C-Store - Niagara Falls, ON - Armed Robbery

• C-Store - Kitchener, ON - Armed Robbery

• Cannabis Store - Calgary, AB - Armed Robbery

• Electronics - Alliston, ON - Robbery/Tied Up Employees

​

January 20, 2021

• Social Distancing Tool to Keep Stores Safe & Open
  -Canadian Company Creates Social Distancing Traffic Management Platform to Help Retailers Manage Crowds

• First-Ever Solution for Stores Struggling During Pandemic
  -E-commerce Solution for Canadian Malls Struggling During Lockdowns

• A Long Way Until Lockdowns Are Lifted?
  -Ontario must cut COVID-19 cases to 1,000 daily to lift lockdowns, medical officer says

• Extended Ontario Lockdowns Blasted for Harming Small Retailers

• Vaccine Setbacks
  -Provinces delaying or revisiting vaccine programs as Pfizer slows dose deliveries

• Ontario Launches Online Security Guard and Private Investigator Testing

• Ontario premier pleads with Biden administration for COVID vaccine help

• Canada could impose new COVID-19 travel restrictions without notice

• LP & Security Measures Driving Down Crime
  -Liquor Mart thefts plummet 97.5% at stores once reeling from shoplifters

• Canada's Epstein
  -Nygard's Lawyer Calls Jail a 'Death Sentence'
  -Fashion mogul Peter Nygard seeking bail on U.S. charges of sex trafficking, racketeering

• Canada's Top Retailers
  -Leger Ranks Canada's Top Retailers Including Physical and Online Experience

• Shopping Centres in Canada to See Significant Changes in 2021 and Beyond

• Walmart Canada to help staffers ease stress

• Biden's plan to cancel Keystone pipeline signals a rocky start with Canada

• Toronto, ON: Restaurant owners huddled inside office as shots rang out in front of their store

• Kamloops, BC: Police looking for gun-flashing suspect in alleged store theft

• Peterborough man arrested in vehicle break-in, credit card fraud investigations

• St. John's, NL: Crown seeks 3 1/2 years for man who told store clerks his name before deciding to rob them

• C-Store - Saint John, NB - Armed Robbery

• Electronics - Waterloo, ON - Armed Robbery

• Gas Station - St. John's, NL - Armed Robbery

• Gas Station - Kawartha Lakes, ON - Armed Robbery

• Unnamed Store - Regina, SK - Armed Robbery

​

January 13, 2021

• Vaccinating Retail Employees
  -Retail workers waiting to hear about their place in vaccination line

• At least 4M Canadians need vaccines for country to look at reopening economy

• Refusing to Comply with Lockdowns
  -Business owners prepared to defy health orders as 'last resort'

• Paying Businesses to Stay Closed?
  -Indigo CEO calls for government compensation amid lockdowns

• Extended Ontario Lockdown Announcement Blasted for Harming Small Retailers

• Petition pushes for lift of COVID-19 restrictions on small businesses in Calgary

• Canadians call out leaders for breaking their own Covid-19 rules

• As Canada battles rising COVID-19 cases, lack of sick leave fuels transmission

• Ontario declares emergency as COVID cases surge & Canada buys more vaccines

• Canada-U.S. land border closure extended to Feb. 21

• Walmart Canada Customer Data Exposed
  -Data exposure flaw on Walmart.ca revealed personal customer information

• Couche-Tard exploring Carrefour takeover to create global retail giant

• Stores Shutting in Vancouver 'Luxury Zone', Bizou Shutting 30% of Boutiques

• Loblaw set to close company-run transportation operations in Cambridge, 150 employees laid off

• British Columbia: Online Pharmacy Aims to Disrupt Retail with Next Day Delivery

• London, ON: Shots fired at LCBO alcohol display in failed store robbery

• Niagara, ON: $20K in merch stolen from Niagara Moose Knuckles store, police say

• Windsor, ON: Cashier gets kicked & punched during variety store robbery

• Kitchener, ON: Customer steals $250 worth of groceries from store

• Two Men Stole A Suitcase Full Of Meat At A Toronto Store & Fled In A Rideshare

• ATM - Corner Brook, NL - Armed Robbery

• C-Store - Nepean, ON - Robbery

• C-Store - Halifax, NS - Armed Robbery

• C-Store - Kitchener, ON - Armed Robbery

• Gas Bar - Nepean, ON - Robbery

• Jewelry Store - Hamilton, ON - Armed Robbery

• Jewelry Store - Corner Brook, NL - Burglary

• Liquor Store - London, ON - Armed Robbery/Shots Fired

• Moose Knuckles - Niagara, ON - Burglary

• Pharmacy - Nepean, ON - Robbery

• Pharmacy - Barrie, ON - Armed Robbery

• Variety Store - Windsor, ON - Robbery

​

January 6, 2021

• One-Third of Ontario Businesses May Not Survive New Restrictions
  -Second COVID Lockdown Will Obliterate Small Retailers & Businesses: Experts

• Canada's Slow Vaccine Rollout
  -Health experts urging quicker vaccine rollout in Canada as COVID-19 cases surge, doses sit in freezers

• Fewest International Brands Enter Canada Since '14
  -International Retailers Continue to Enter Canadian Market Despite Pandemic

• These three Toronto businesses with a COVID outbreak pose a 'significant risk'

• Charges laid in assault on B.C. Walmart employee who asked customers to wear masks

• Canadian Retail Sees Sales Surge, but so does COVID

• Canadian Businesses Take on Amazon
  -A Canadian 'Buy Local' Effort Fights Amazon on Its Own Turf

• E-Commerce Fraud Surging
  -Online shoppers in Sudbury, North Bay caught up in rising e-commerce fraud

• In Case You Missed It
  -Canada-Based Shopify hosts thousands of fraudulent shops, analysis finds

• Canadian Ecommerce Company EMERGE Sees Growth Through Website Acquisitions

• 15 of the most bizarre items reported stolen in Canada in 2020

• Mississauga, ON: Arrest made in $1.5M jewellery store robbery & attempted murder; 2nd suspect still on the loose

• $100K Scam Targets Ontario Box Stores
  -Trio arrested following 'elaborate' Ontario box store scam

• Nationwide Fraud Bust
  -6 Winnipeggers charged in cross-Canada fraud ring

• Montreal, QC: $ 100,000 in jewelry stolen in downtown armed robbery

• Vancouver, BC: Theft suspect sprays bear mace directly in face of store employee

• Halifax, NS: Car stolen at Halifax gas pumps used to rob convenience store

• Nunavut: Iqaluit man sentenced two years for C-store armed robbery

• Surrey, BC: Theft of Surrey firefighters' thrift store van 'disheartening'

• C-Store - Kitchener, ON - Armed Robbery

• C-Store - Halifax, NS - Armed Robberies (3x)

• C-Store - Halifax, NS - Armed Robbery

• Cell Store - Calgary, AB - Armed Robbery

• Coffee Shops - Toronto, ON - Burglary (2x)

• Family Market - St. Thomas, ON - Armed Robbery

• Dessert Shop - Toronto, ON - Burglary

• Pawnshop - Montreal, QC - Armed Robbery

• Shoppers Drug Mart - Langford, BC - Armed Robbery

• Shoppers Drug Mart - Saanich, BC - Armed Robbery

• Traders - Traders, NL - Armed Robbery

• Variety Store - Strathroy, ON - Armed Robbery

2019 Canadian Connections   2018 Canadian Connections