538 Best Places to Shop in Canada

Want to score a designer label on a dime? Head to this beautifully laid-out consignment store. A cult following of style-seekers flock to VSP, where the staff curate a selection of gently worn pieces from Prada, Marni, Victoria Beckham, Gucci, Celine, and other top-shelf brands.

Canada's biggest auction house hosts more than 100 auctions every year, in person and online. They feature Canadian and international fine art, including many prestigious collector and catalogue auctions; in addition, special auctions include Indigenous art, jewelry, and decorative arts.

"A pleasant surprise" is the motto of this airy gallery-like shop, where you never quite know what you'll find—perhaps candle holders, jewelry, local crafts, one-of-a-kind T-shirts, or original artwork. They stock a mix of local and international designers and often host small exhibitions.

Established in Montréal in 2007, WANT's flagship boutique in hipster Mile End draws inspiration from travel and transitional spaces like airports, train stations, airplane cabins, and Montréal's métro cars. The label emphasizes minimalist, gender-neutral clothing, footwear, and bags in muted blacks, whites, and grays. In addition to its own brand, WANT also carries apothecary, jewelry, and accessories from labels such as Grown Alchemist, Susanne Kaufmann, and All Blues, among others. Shoppers can also enjoy a VIP WANT experience by booking an appointment online.

At this brimming curio shop you might find a cat curled up among the reasonably priced china, glassware, French soaps, kitchen gadgets, and other bric-a-brac. The Bradshaw family has owned a store at this location in various forms (it used to be a high-end china hall) since the 1800s.

The first Canadian outpost of this ostentatious Miami-based fashion and design store is eye-catching from the moment you're welcomed in by the doorman. There's custom art throughout the shop, including a foosball table, plush bear, palm tree, and neon pink staircase that takes you between the three floors, each with its own personality. There are purses, women's clothes, shoes, perfumes, and men's streetwear from bold-named brands like Bottega Veneta, Givenchy, Mugler, Burberry, and Off-White, but each is carefully cherry-picked to fit the overall aesthetic. Off on a quiet street, it's an edgier, more gallery-like version of luxury Yorkville shopping.

Hot food and coffee, prepared foods, crafts, and local produce fill the stalls at this laid-back market running Saturday 9 am to 2 pm from May through October in Nelson Park.

Outdoor enthusiasts flock to Westboro Village, along Richmond Road west of downtown, to pick up everything from camping gear to kayaks at stores like Mountain Equipment Coop (366 Richmond Rd.) or Bushtukah Great Outdoor Gear (203 Richmond Rd.).

Artisan perfumer Laurie Arbuthnot uses pure plant-based essential oils and distillations derived from foraged flora, such as red cedar and oak moss, to blend her signature scents on-site. Designed to evoke "scent memories" of BC, the botanical perfumes are inspired by the rain forests, mountains, and Salish Sea, and are named for places along the coast. 

Cool clay creations, many of them in the shape of area animals, are the specialty here. They also sell books and local music.

The gleaming 13,500-square-foot flagship of this 75-year established Toronto tableware and home decor store carries an extensive collection of dinnerware patterns and crystal glasses that range from Wedgwood to Denby to Baccarat. They're happy to pack and ship all over North America. Stop by the Teuscher of Switzerland chocolate boutique on the way out.

Tucked away on the lowest level of Place Montréal Trust lies this huge discount store stocked with clothing, shoes, housewares—you name it. Allow adequate time if you really want to rummage, but if you're not at leisure, head straight to the runway collections and the sale racks for the best bargains. The Alexis Nihon (Atwater métro) location, on the edge of Westmount, can also also be a good bet for snagging a deal on designer labels and Italian shoes.  

Wooden bowls, boxes, toys, and trinkets are made on-site here.

The country's oldest children's bookshop, in business for more than 40 years, is packed with books, many of them by Canadian and local authors. The store somehow manages to shoehorn a slew of toys amid the tomes.

This gourmet cheese shop is the go-to destination for the city's top chefs and cheese aficionados. Yannick Achim carries 400 varieties, buying from local dairies and stocking an astonishing international selection. You'll find Pikauba cheese from Québec beside pecorino made with raw sheep's milk and laced with black truffles. Cheese lovers here eagerly trade advice on building the perfect after-dinner cheese plate.

This Saturday morning market (open 9 am–1 pm) is the perfect spot to pick up local produce and handicrafts, as well as tasty treats that you can eat out by the waterfront. 

For a gift or something to keep you warm on chilly Nova Scotian evenings, this local institution, open since 1883, has you covered. Much of the inventory consists of high-end imported items from England, Ireland, and Scotland, including duffel coats, mohair throws, cashmere shawls and sweaters, Harris tweed caps, Guernsey fisherman-knit sweaters, and tartan robes. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever T-shirts are another local find. If you'd rather create your own garment, they also have knitting yarns.

Formerly known as Hazelton Lanes, this small upscale shopping mall is home to fashion-forward TNT (short for The New Trend); structured womenswear by Judith & Charles; flower and gift shop Teatro Verde; and downtown Toronto's only Whole Foods Market.

Exclusive handmade jewelry can be found at this city landmark.

Design-oriented, whimsical yet practical objects abound in this popular store, which features tons of modern décor, tableware, and accessories for the home and office. From the latest cooking implement to lovely decorative objects and fancy clocks, there's something for just about everyone.

Part of the historic Hudson's Bay Company chain, La Baie carries clothing for the entire family, as well as household wares and cosmetics.

The silver-domed Marché Bonsecours, the city's main public market in the 1800s, has been restored and renovated with a modern edge. The 15 boutiques inside sell First Nations artwork, Quebecois designer fashions, jewelry, kitchenware, and more. The paintings of Michel Sylvain on display at Art et Antiquités Médius capture eloquent Montréal street scenes. Soak it all up over a cup of coffee from Le Café des Arts or a full meal and an artisinal beer at Pub BreWskey.

On the third level of the cavernous Ogilvy department store you'll find the highest quality furs and shearlings, including extravagant, colorful sheared beavers from Montréal's Zuki.Call ahead as there may be closures or disruptions while Ogilvy and Holt Renfrew merge.