Canada

Uniqlo will open five new Canadian stores in fall 2026, expanding its national footprint to 42 locations. The global Japanese apparel retailer announced new stores will open at St. Vital Centre in Winnipeg, Quartier DIX30 in Brossard, Que.; Tsawwassen Mills in Tsawwassen, B.C.; Hillcrest Mall in Richmond Hill, Ont.; and Conestoga Mall in Waterloo, Ont. …

Alberta is expected to lead Canada in economic growth in 2026, with real GDP projected to expand by 2.6% as higher oil prices and continued population growth support the province’s economy, according to a new outlook from ATB Financial. ATB’s latest Economic Outlook forecasts that Alberta’s economy will grow significantly faster than the national economy, …

Pret A Manger will open its first Canadian airport location at Vancouver International Airport (YVR), marking the start of a broader expansion into major airports across the country. A&W Food Services of Canada Inc., which holds the exclusive Canadian rights to develop and operate the British fresh-food and organic coffee chain, announced that the first …

Reliance Properties is seeking to convert a downtown Victoria, B.C., heritage office building into a compact hotel. The four-storey art-deco building, located at the corner of Blanshard Street and Fairfield Road, was built in 1949 and is currently used as office and studio space for artists. It once once housed the BC Power Commission, the …

Equiton has opened a new office in Dallas as the firm prepares to expand into U.S. multi-family real estate. A company spokesman told Connect that Equiton is in the final stages of launching a U.S. apartment fund, with an open-ended structure aimed at Canadian investors. The forthcoming fund is similar in design to Equiton’s flagship …

H&R confirmed Friday it has held preliminary discussions with affiliates of global private-equity giant Blackstone regarding the potential sale of certain REIT assets. The disclosure follows a request from the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization related to recent trading activity in H&R units and media reports concerning the REIT. The regulator temporarily halted trading of the …

Equiton has opened a new office in Dallas as the firm prepares to expand into U.S. multi-family real estate. A company spokesman told Connect that Equiton is in the final stages of launching a U.S. apartment fund, with an open-ended structure aimed at Canadian investors. The forthcoming fund is similar in design to Equiton’s flagship …

H&R confirmed Friday it has held preliminary discussions with affiliates of global private-equity giant Blackstone regarding the potential sale of certain REIT assets. The disclosure follows a request from the Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization related to recent trading activity in H&R units and media reports concerning the REIT. The regulator temporarily halted trading of the …

Smart Investment has acquired McAllister Place mall in Saint John, N.B. from Primaris REIT for a reported price of $64 million. McAllister Place ranks among Atlantic Canada’s largest retail centres, spanning 79 acres. Smart Investment is headed by Tim Gu, and the firm also owns the reborn Mountain Equipment Company outdoor-gear store chain. “We are …

Construction has begun on a new 67,000-square-foot industrial facility in Moncton, N.B. The project site is located at 80 Frenette Ave. in Moncton’s Caledonia Industrial Park. Lindsay Construction and Comztar Commercial Properties have broken ground on the energy-efficient project, which is scheduled for completion in early 2027. “This project reflects our continued commitment to providing …

Equiton has opened a new office in Dallas as the firm prepares to expand into U.S. multi-family real estate. A company spokesman told Connect that Equiton is in the final stages of launching a U.S. apartment fund, with an open-ended structure aimed at Canadian investors. The forthcoming fund is similar in design to Equiton’s flagship …

BlueRock Therapeutics has signed a long-term lease for approximately 80,000 square feet at Catalyst, Seeker Labs’ purpose-built life sciences facility at 77 Wade Ave. in Toronto’s Junction neighbourhood. The lease makes BlueRock Therapeutics the anchor tenant at the 155,000-square-foot development and marks a significant milestone as the project nears completion. Developed by Seeker, Catalyst is …

La Caisse has agreed to acquire Transurban’s remaining 50% interest in the A25 Concession for $280 million, increasing its ownership stake to 100% from 50% and becoming the sole owner of the Greater Montreal transportation asset. The transaction follows La Caisse’s initial investment in 2023, when it acquired a 50% stake in the concession from …

Home values across the 16 cities selected to host matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup have increased by an average of 44% since the tournament was awarded to the joint Canada-U.S.-Mexico bid in June 2018, according to an analysis by Enness Global. The study compared home-price growth in Toronto, Vancouver and other host cities …

Wesbild has halted a planned six-tower, 2,000-unit multi-residential development in Port Coquitlama, B.C. The master-planned project, known as PoCoPlace, was slated for the corner of Lougheed Highway and Westwood Street and would have included significant retail space and amenities. Phase 1 had been slated to include a 37-storey rental tower and a 35-storey condominium tower, …