Canadian Outlet Malls - are booming
Being a rather new retail sector for Canada with two new ones opened in Ontario over the last year, the retailers are booming. And Canadians are flocking to these locations. Four-in-10 (41%) of Canadians surveyed prefer to shop at Canadian factory outlet malls versus those in the US, with more than half (57%) having shopped at a Canadian factory outlet mall in the past 12 months alone. chainstoreage.com

Canadians slowing down on cross-border shopping
Deterred by higher US exchange rates, Canadians are less willing to make the drive, despite the wider product selections available stateside. Despite 44% agreeing that Canadian factory outlet malls are not as price competitive as those in the US, despite the exchange rate, shopping at Canadian outlet malls continues to rise. chainstoreage.com

Canadian consumers send wake-up call to retailers as 76% of Canadians households head online  Of that percentage, about a quarter of Canadians have become "frequent" shoppers, which means they're buying on the Internet four to 10 times per year, the data says. Consumers are dipping their toe into e-commerce, testing the waters, and becoming very quickly converted," said Danielle Doiron, director of parcels and e-commerce market development at Canada Post. The report also found that shoppers will buy products online they wouldn't have just a few years ago. thechronicleherald.ca

Ikea to test two new 'pick-up-point' store formats in London, Ontario and Quebec City as part of global pilot  The two locations, slated to open in late 2015, will allow customers who have shopped online or at an Ikea store some distance away to pick up their products closer to where they live. Customers will also be able to buy services to support their purchases, sit at a computer station to browse the retailer's web site, and also select among 99 of the company's top-selling products available for immediate takeaway. chainstoreage.com

Bullied B.C. grocery store employee wins $16,000 in discrimination case
A Vancouver-area man has been awarded almost $16,000 by the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal for a series of threats and slurs he endured from his boss' sons. The tribunal ruled that Kyle Garneau was discriminated against while working at Buy-Rite Foods in Surrey, B.C., where the owner's sons repeatedly physically and verbally harassed him. Garneau is gay, and has a brain abnormality that affects him physically and mentally, including his appearance and weight. In a decision released earlier this month, tribunal member Parnesh Sharma wrote that owner Shingara Sumal failed to ensure his store was a safe work environment, free from harassment. canadiangrocer.com



Canadian Security's Focus On Retail Security one-day seminar  A valuable opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about the latest techniques to combat retail crime. You can expect to hear more about: ● Organized Retail Crime ● Restorative Justice ● Online Fraud For full agenda and registration details visit: www.focusonseries.ca




Here's our list of top 20 most productive Canadian malls by sales per square foot, annually
 

Indigo to Overhaul 6 Flagships - Open 4 American Girl Stores

Rona plays down suggested Lowe's merger

Suspect Sought in Kelowna Mac's Store Armed Robbery

Calgary Police recover $1.9 million in stolen vehicles

Woman suspected of shoplifting critically hurt on Coquitlam, BC, highway

Cigarettes stolen during Yellowknife grocery store break and enter

Alleged shoplifter attacks employee at Peterborough Sobey's

Oakville businesses rocked by series of smash-and-grab break-ins


Ottawa Police hunt two after April cellphone store robbery  Ottawa police are looking for two masked men who robbed a cellular phone outlet that police won't name a month ago. The robbery occurred April 13, at approximately 8:45 pm. Two men walked into a cellphone store somewhere in the 1500 block of Merivale Road. Both had their faces covered, and one showed employees that he had a handgun tucked in his waistband. They made off with more than 40 smartphones in a variety of types. No one was hurt. ottawacitizen.com


Alberni Mounties Dismantle Island Wide Theft Ring
The Port Alberni RCMP has arrested 2 men at the core of an extensive property crime scheme that victimized owners from across Vancouver Island. Both suspects have extensive histories of property theft, and are well known to police in the Island region. Over the past 2 weeks this criminal group is alleged to have committed truck thefts, break-ins, vandalism, and possessed stolen property in multiple Island jurisdictions including Port Alberni, Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Campbell River, Nanaimo, and Victoria. While the tally is climbing as the investigation unfolds, investigators indicate that the total loss and damage resulting from these incidents is currently estimated at over $400,000. albernivalleynews.com

'Threatening' cougar shot and killed near West Vancouver mall
The popular trails around Capilano River in West Vancouver were closed for several hours as a conservation officer tracked and killed a cougar believed to be a threat to the community. Multiple cougar sightings have been reported in recent weeks along the Capilano River near Park Royal Mall, but the cougar had become bolder in recent days. The big cat was seen jumping on people's balconies in a townhouse complex in British Properties Wednesday. Officials say things came to a head Thursday morning when the cougar approached someone walking their dogs on a trail. "Fortunately the dogs were big enough and loud enough to scare it," said Conservation Officer Simon Gravel. The dog walkers contacted West Vancouver Police, who secured the area until Gravel arrived. The cougar hadn't moved from the area, Gravel said, adding that it showed no fear whatsoever of humans. He shot and killed the big cat. ctvnews.ca

Retail Fast Facts: April 2015 
Highlights:
● Total monthly retail sales changed by 2.0 per cent over the comparable month last year. 
● Total sales excluding food, automotive and gasoline changed by 5.7 per cent over the comparable month last year.  Read more