Target's New CEO Is About to Make a Big Decision on the Retailer's Future - Losing $2.5B since entering Canada  New Target Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell is poised to make one of the biggest decisions of his professional career: whether to pull his new employer completely out of Canada, where it currently has 133 stores. The former Wal-Mart and PepsiCo exec foreshadowed that Target would communicate its vision for its future "early next year" following a thorough review of both the Canadian and U.S. businesses. That would suggest the fate of Target Canada will be shared at the very latest on the company's fourth-quarter earnings call on Feb. 25.  thestreet.com

Lululemon appoints former J. Crew executive as CFO
Canadian yoga wear maker Lululemon Athletica Inc on Wednesday named Stuart Haselden as its new chief financial officer, replacing long-time executive John Currie, who announced in June his plan to retire by the end of the fiscal year. Haselden, a former U.S. army officer and avid runner, will step into his new role Feb. 2. He was most recently CFO of J. Crew Group and had previously worked at Department store retailer, Saks Inc. yahoo.com

Jean Coutu profit drops 10% on increased costs
Quebec-based pharmacy company Jean Coutu Group says its third-quarter profit fell 10 per cent from a year earlier as increased stock-based and operating expenses offset sales growth. The company's net income was $56 million, down from $62.5 million, while net profit per share was flat at 30 cents. On a same-store basis comparing locations open for more than a year, the network's retail sales were up 3.1 per cent overall with pharmacy sales up 3.8 per cent and front-end sales up 2.0 per cent. cbc.ca

Canada's Luxury market is about to grow - Big Time and that means LP Jobs!

In New Brunswick, return fraud cost retail between $28-$40 million in 2013 & in Nova Scotia $33-$48 million was lost in 2013

Tractor trailer loaded with Chevron oil products stolen in Puslinch, Ontario on boxing day

New Westminster video store cleaned out in robbery

Suspected robber shot by security guard at Toronto jewelry store  A man with a gun was believed to be preparing to rob a jewelry store in Toronto when he was confronted by a security guard and shot on Thursday afternoon, police say. The incident unfolded at a plaza in the Eglinton Avenue East and Warden Avenue area, which is close to a courthouse. According to Toronto police, a male with a firearm walked into the Jewellery Exchange at 1921 Eglinton Ave. E., at about 2 p.m. Det. Dave Liska said the security guard spotted the man attempting to rob one of the jewellers inside the premises. "He was confronted by an armed security guard who was already on the site and he was ultimately shot," Liska told reporters on Thursday evening. The security guard fired shots both fired inside and outside the store. Initial reports suggested that the security guard and the wounded man had exchanged fire, but that did not appear as certain hours later. "I am not sure if the suspect fired any shots, however, a weapon was recovered," Liska said. cbc.ca

Robbery suspect shot by police inside Rexall in Toronto  A 34-year-old man was taken to hospital Wednesday with life-threatening injuries after being shot inside a Bloor Street pharmacy by Toronto police who were responding to a nearby armed robbery. Police initially received a call that Handy Convenience, at 591 Sherbourne Street, was being held-up by an armed man Wednesday morning. The suspect fled north to Bloor and police confronted him inside the Rexall PharmaPlus at 345 Bloor St. East shortly after 8:30 a.m. "An altercation, or an interaction occurred where a police firearm was discharged. An individual was hit, and subsequently taken to hospital," Inspector Rob Johnson of 51 Division said. nationalpost.com