Recently in Logistics; Canadian retailers are investing in new store formats, from Canadian Tire’s $200 million push to revamp Mark’s to Toys“R”Us returning through nearly 300 Staples shop-in-shops. At the same time, AI is moving closer to the checkout, with Google bringing direct checkout to Canadian shoppers and Walmart Canada launching its Sparky assistant. Meanwhile, a new survey highlights a gap between employer confidence in AI and the employee experience, a reminder that adoption depends on people as much as technology.
Canadian Tire Invests $200 Million to Open and Revamp Mark’s Stores
Canadian Tire Corp. is putting $200 million into opening and refreshing Mark’s stores, with a goal of at least 40 of its expected 387 locations being new or converted to an updated format by the end of 2028. The larger format, roughly 25,000 square feet, adds brighter interiors, expanded women’s and children’s sections, and brand shop-in-shops, and 21 stores across five provinces already use it. Early results include stronger customer acquisition among women and younger shoppers, plus double-digit gains in sales per square foot despite the bigger footprint. The takeaway for 2027 planning: store investment pays off when it follows the data.
Source: BNN Bloomberg
Google Brings AI-Powered Shopping and Direct Checkout to Canada
Google is rolling out AI-powered direct checkout to Canadian shoppers from November 4, letting them buy through AI Mode in Google Search and the Gemini app without leaving the conversation. Built on Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol, the launch starts with lululemon, select Shopify merchants, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Simons, with retailers remaining the seller of record and Google Pay handling payment. Google and Angus Reid research found that 59 percent of Canadian holiday shoppers plan to use an AI tool this season, and wider retailer access is planned for 2027. Retailers should start treating agentic commerce as a channel to prepare for.
Source: Retail Insider
Walmart Canada Launches AI Shopping Assistant Sparky
Walmart Canada has launched Sparky, the AI shopping assistant first introduced in the United States more than a year ago, to help shoppers find and compare products and build shopping lists around a budget or an occasion such as a holiday meal. The rollout follows a public commitment from Walmart’s CEO that the assistant will not use personal information like income or shopping history to personalize prices or hide lower-priced options. With Loblaw already integrated into ChatGPT, trust and transparency will shape how quickly Canadian shoppers embrace AI in grocery and mass retail.
Source: BNN Bloomberg
Toys“R”Us Canada Returns Through Nearly 300 Staples Stores
Toys“R”Us is returning to Canadian retail through a partnership with Staples Canada, which will open Toys“R”Us and Parties“R”Us shop-in-shops across close to 300 stores, beginning November 14 in Richmond Hill with a rollout planned through 2027. The model is a sharp departure from the chain’s former large-format stores, which averaged about 45,000 square feet when the Canadian operating company entered creditor protection earlier this year. Parties“R”Us could also add year-round demand beyond the holiday toy season, though space allocation and economics have not been disclosed. It is a useful case study in reaching shoppers through an existing store network instead of building a new one.
Source: Retail Insider
Survey Finds Gap Between Employer AI Confidence and Employee Experience
A 2026 Randstad Workmonitor survey points to a widening confidence gap in Canadian workplaces: 98 percent of Canadian employers are optimistic about growth in the year ahead, compared with 49 percent of workers. On AI specifically, 46 percent of Canadian office workers believe adoption is designed mainly to benefit companies, and only 44 percent of Canadian employers say AI has increased their company’s productivity. The findings suggest that AI investment is outpacing the training, communication, and workforce redesign needed to make it stick, a lesson worth carrying into 2027 planning.
Source: Inside Logistics
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