Hudson’s Bay Company’s off-price retail concept Saks OFF 5TH has announced two more Canadian stores, both set to open in 2018. The retailer plans to operate about 25 Canadian stores by the end of 2018, and it’s well on its way towards that goal.

In 2018, Saks OFF 5TH will open stores in suburban Toronto and Calgary, both within Cadillac Fairview-managed shopping centres. A 27,000 square foot Saks OFF 5TH will open at CF Markville centre in Markham, north of Toronto, and a 26,600 square foot location will open at Calgary’s CF Market Mall next year, as well.

*(click above/below for interactive google maps)*

Saks OFF 5TH is aggressively expanding nationally. This week, it opened two stores in suburban Toronto — at Pickering Town Centre, and at Bramalea City Centre. This spring as well, Saks OFF 5TH will open stores in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Quebec City, as discussed in detail in an article last month. When all five are open by this May, Saks OFF 5TH will have opened 14 stores in Canada — an impressive number, considering that its first Canadian stores opened about 12 months ago.

Saks OFF 5TH typically locates its US locations in outlet centres as well as freestanding units, which is a slightly different strategy than what we're seeing in Canada. Both CF Markville and CF Market Mall are considered to be traditional shopping centres, and Saks OFF 5TH has also announced a number of other stores to open in mainstream malls in this country.

Nordstrom Rack will enter Canada in early 2018 with its first Canadian stores, with plans to operate between 10 and 15 Canadian stores. TJX-owned Winners and Marshalls also continue to open stores in Canada, as the off-price market sees unprecedented competition in this country.

*Top photo via South Edmonton Common.

Canadian Retail News From Around The Web: March 10, 2017