Toronto named 'Hottest Retail Market in the Americas'
A recent CBRE report names Toronto as the 'hottest' market for international retail expansion in the Americas, attracting 25 new international brands in 2014. It's a remarkable feat, considering Toronto beat out cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and others. We spoke with a retail expert to get her opinion. The CBRE report, called "How Global is the Business of Retail", tracked new brands entering 164 cities in 50 countries. The report found that U.S. retailers are the most active when expanding into global markets -- in 2014, American retailers accounted for 26% of all cross-border expansion.

"...Toronto is considered a gateway city; in 2014 it attracted 25 new international brands. With a diverse population with a good level of disposable income, it's unsurprising that interest in Toronto is high. Many of the foreign brands that have come to Canada, and more specifically Toronto, over the past few years have been very profitable. retail-insider.com

Tim Horton's new U.S. owner moving office to Oakville, Ontario - Closing Columbus, Ohio office  3G Capital Partners LP of Brazil, which acquired Tim Hortons in December, is known for its cost cutting at an array of companies it has taken over, such as Burger King Worldwide Inc. At Tim Hortons, it has already chopped 350 jobs or about 15 per cent of its 2,300 staff at headquarters and regional offices. Tim Hortons, which has been merged with Burger King under parent Restaurant Brands International Inc., had about 30 employees in its U.S. head office, an industry source said. theglobeandmail.com

Security guard found guilty of assaulting disabled man after takedown caught on camera at Vancouver's Pacific Centre Mall in 2012  The judge ruled on Wednesday that Ali Rahnumah, 31, used unnecessary and excessive force as he and three other undercover private guards working at the mall cornered a suspected shoplifter confined to a motorized wheelchair. In video of the takedown, Rahnumah starts swearing before knocking the man out of his wheelchair with a blow to the head. Rahnumah was charged with assault, suspended as a security guard and required to re-take a "use of force" course before being reinstated as a security guard. But he was barely back working as a loss prevention officer at a Burnaby Home Depot when he ran into trouble again. Earlier this year, he was charged with assault causing bodily harm to a suspected shoplifter who he allegedly chased more than 400 metres to a nearby Skytrain station, before tackling him. Rahnumah is now awaiting trial for that case. He will be sentenced for the 2012 assault next month. cbc.ca

'Focus on Retail Security' Conference Session: 'Fighting Back Against ORC' - June 10th in Toronto  Matt Robertson, Manager of Corporate Inventory & Investigations, Sears Canada, will address the rising trend of organized retail crime and what Sears and many other retailers are doing to combat it. These techniques include specialized data analytics, networking and sharing between retailers and law enforcement, as well as other internal processes that allow Sears' retail security professionals to combat ORC so effectively. Robertson joined Sears Canada in 2009 and in 2012 built the framework for the organization's current ORC Program. At the time he was the only ORC investigator within the organization, but due to the success of the program and the growth of ORC it has expanded to a national level. Within his current role, Matt oversees Sears' National ORC Loss Prevention and all aspects of Internal and External investigations. Additional sessions at the "Focus on Retail Security" Conference will include: online fraud, emergency management, restorative justice and much more. Spots are limited - Click here to register. canadiansecuritymag.com

Wal-Mart Canada out performs U.S. - adding 29 supercenters, Target's DC, and 12 Target locations

Hudson's Bay still in talks as bidding for German Department store - Kaufhof chain heats up

Loblaw's Joe Fresh hits another road block - closing it's two NYC Fifth Ave stores - right after J.C. Penney boots them out

Union votes 97% in favor of strike at Loblaws in Ontario - Negotiations resume May 26th

Target Stores Update - 55 returned to landlords, Wal-Mart gets 13, Lowe's gets 13, and Canadian Tire takes 12 - that leaves 40 to go

Ikea to fuel Canada expansion with massive DC
 

Hamilton Man accused of trying to Stab Jackson Square Mall Security Officer
A Hamilton man is facing multiple charges after an alleged shoplifting incident in Jackson Square. The incident started when a man tried to walk out of a store with some beef jerky. Loss prevention officers moved to arrest the man and a fight began. Police said the man attempted to use a knife in his possession and told a mall officer he would stab him. Michele Marinilli, 49, from Hamilton, is charged with theft under $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000, assault with a weapon and uttering death threats. thespec.com

Witnesses at Value Village claim man beaten over stolen jeans
Horrified onlookers say a man suspected of being homeless was 'brutally assaulted' outside the Value Village store in Langley City over a stolen pair of jeans on Tuesday, May 12. Witness Sue Bentley was just leaving the store with her daughter when a fight broke out behind them. "It was so shocking and so horrible," said Bentley. A loss prevention officer allegedly tackled the man to the ground, repeatedly putting him in a choke hold and the scuffle ensued for some time, said several witnesses. Another man who videotaped the incident said the loss prevention officer smashed the homeless man's face into the ground and he looked like he was"'hurt bad." Some witnesses said the man wasn't resisting arrest. Police were called and did arrest the man for theft, but released him shortly afterwards. Value Village said the loss prevention officer's behaviour was not following their procedures to handle theft. "We are aware of an unfortunate incident that took place at our Langley store and have co-operated with law enforcement in their investigation," said Value Village spokesperson Sara Gaugl. "The incident involved a third party loss prevention officer that was operating outside of Value Village's code of conduct. This type of behaviour is not tolerated by our company." langleytimes.com

Masked men with handgun, crowbar, force female employee around store during robbery at Need's in Halifax  Halifax Regional Police say two men wearing masks walked into the Needs convenience store located in the 0 to 100 block of Herring Cove Road around 5 a.m. May 20. The suspects - one of whom had a handgun and the other a crowbar - demanded cash and cigarettes from a woman working behind the counter. The employee was grabbed by the suspects and forced around the store, police say in a release. "It's unclear why they did that," said Halifax Regional Police spokesman Const. Pierre Bourdages. He added she wasn't physically hurt, but went through a "traumatic experience." novanewsnow.com

Torontonians charged for trying to use fake credit cards at Cambridge Centre mall  Three Toronto-area residents were charged for using fake identification and credit cards at the Cambridge Centre this past Wednesday. The mall's security team contacted police to report potential incidents of fraud involving use of phony credit cards. Following a police investigation, three Greater Toronto Area residents, a 23-year-old man and two women, aged 19 and 57, are facing fraud charges. cambridgetimes.ca

Barrie Police Fraud Unit arrest suspect in credit card fraud spree
A Barrie woman is facing multiple fraud charges for her role in a two month spree of credit card fraud. Investigators with the Barrie Police Fraud Unit say the incidents involved stolen credit card data from multiple financial institutions being used to defraud local businesses. Police say the offences happened in Barrie, Orillia and York Region. ctvnews.ca

Police in Nova Scotia say metal objects found in potatoes bought at stores
The RCMP say in late April or early May, a man purchased a bag of Farmers Market potatoes at the Atlantic Superstore in Antigonish, and he notified police this week that he had found a nail inside a potato. After turning the potato and nail over to Antigonish RCMP, police in Barrington Passage became aware of a similar incident at the No Frills grocery store in the community. Once again, police say a small nail was found in a Farmers Market potato, in a bag that was purchased and later returned. No one was injured in either incident. capebretonpost.com

Robbery of St. John's Pet Store Caught on Camera