Canada's Shopping Hot Spots

	Shopping in Canada

In the past few decades, Canada has started to shed its image as a frigid land of vast wilderness in favour of a sophisticated, urban persona. Canada's major cities are now being seen for what they are—vibrant, modern hubs of activity. The country's urban centres boast many attractions, one of the most significant being their world-class shopping facilities. Shopaholics can find virtually every type of store here—from unique, family-run shops offering homemade products to trendy retail giants selling mass-produced items.

Canada's shopping areas are as diverse as can be; small, historic shopping districts are popular in some cities, while the residents of other areas tend to flock to massive, modern shopping malls. But whatever shopping venues are available, visitors can be sure they will never leave empty-handed.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

In most cities in B.C., the temperatures are so mild that outdoor shopping can be done year-round without frostbite or discomfort. This makes shopping on Victoria's Government Street, located near the picturesque Inner Harbour, an activity the can be enjoyed in both winter and summer. This cobblestone street is lined with unique shops that specialize in items such as homemade chocolate, Aboriginal art, souvenirs, fashion and more. Located just off Government Street are three other smaller shopping areas, Trounce Alley, Market Square and Bastion Square, each of which offer one of a kind shopping and dining within an historical context. Bastion Square, for instance, was once the site of the town brothel and Victoria's Court House, where many of the town's hangings took place.

Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest area of its kind in Canada. Founded in 1858 by Chinese immigrants brought to the island as coal miners, Chinatown today offers a wide variety of goods, including imported giftware and exotic food items. Shoppers will love the eclectic (and narrow) Fan Tan Alley, which is lined with offbeat shops and unique restaurants. Chinatown is located on Fisgard Street and is accessible via Government Street.

Mayfair Mall in Victoria first opened in 1963 and steadily grew over the years, eventually becoming South Vancouver Island's most popular shopping mall. It offers 120 shops and services, and was recently renovated to uphold its modern image.

Both Vancouver and Vancouver Island have a wealth of markets that offer unique items like handmade crafts by accomplished artists, vintage collectibles and imported food and household goods. Covering a broad range of urbanity and sophistication, these markets range from grandiose, like the public market on Granville Island in Vancouver, to modest, like the Old Country Market in Coombs, a colourful shopping venue that is known for having a herd of goats living on its roof.

Downtown Vancouver is known for its vibrant Robson Street. Offering only the trendiest of shops, Robson offers a selection of designer stores that are only found in major metropolitan areas. Shops started popping up on Robson as early as 1885, when train tracks along the popular street lead to an insurgence of commercial dealings. Today, Robson is known worldwide as being one of Canada's preferred shopping districts.

Burnaby, one of Greater Vancouver's largest municipalities, also offers a premiere shopping experience at the Metrotown Centre. With over 450 shops and services, visitors will be hard pressed to see everything in only one day. The centre is conveniently located within a short walk from the Vancouver Skytrain, and there is plenty of parking available for drivers.

Shopping in the Okanagan region in south-central BC is also a popular activity. Known for its abundance of wine and fruit, the region also offers a variety of non-edible goods that are most commonly found in Kelowna, the largest urban centre in the region. Orchard Park Mall, conveniently located on Highway 97 (Harvey Avenue) offers a selection of brand-name stores, while Tutt Street Square in downtown Kelowna is known as a diamond mine for art lovers and unique gift seekers.

	West Edmonton Mall1

ALBERTA

Canada's wealthiest province is home to a number of supermalls, which typically have a selection of giant chain stores and food vendors, but only a limited number of local merchants. Big-box shopping is the trend in Alberta; in general, residents of this busy province usually opt to drive to their nearest mega-sized department or grocery store, where parking is plentiful, rather than explore unique shops on foot.

A prime example is the West Edmonton Mall, which, as of 2005, holds the title for being the largest shopping mall in North America. The mall covers around 48 city blocks of area and offers over 800 shops and over 110 places to eat. But West Ed, as it is often called by Albertans, offers more than just a shopping experience—there is also a giant waterpark, bumper boats, a 7.6-m (25-ft) deep man-made lake with exploratory submarines, sea lion and flamingo exhibits, a replica of Christopher Columbus' Santa Maria ship, a skating rink, two mini-golf courses, 21 movie theatres, a Vegas-style casino, a shooting range, a haunted castle, bungee jumping and an amusement park with 25 rides and attractions including a huge, terrifying roller coaster.

Calgary's answer to West Edmonton Mall is Chinook Centre. While Chinook doesn't offer nearly as many shops and attractions, it does have a large food court, several restaurants, a huge movie theatre, a carousel and over 200 retailers offering everything a shopaholic could hope for.

Calgary's 17th Avenue 2

But those who prefer to do their shopping on a more intimate level need not fret—unique, locally-run shops can also be found in Alberta. Located in the University district, Edmonton's Whyte Avenue has a number of distinctive, eclectic stores, as well as restaurants and nightclubs, while Calgarians typically head to 17th Avenue S.W., which offers everything from funky thrift stores to high-class boutiques, as well as a number of popular pubs and bars. Both spots are best explored by foot, so harsh winter weather conditions sometimes deter shoppers to the indoor malls. In addition, finding parking in and around these areas can be a challenge, and often people will have to pay a modest sum to leave their car.

CENTRAL CANADA

Saskatchewan has the unfounded reputation of being Canada's lackluster province, but a visit to the capital city, Regina, will prove otherwise. Downtown Regina is teeming with funky shops, lively pubs and exotic galleries. One street in particular, 13th Avenue, is known for its unique shopping opportunities; visitors to this neighbourhood can find vintage clothing, trendy fashions, distinctive home accessories, unique artwork and much more. A few blocks south is the Scarth Street Pedestrian Mall, which, in addition to offering an interesting atmosphere, has a number of popular restaurants and shops, including book stores, clothing boutiques and specialty merchants.

A large mall, Regina's Cornwall Centre will lead eager shoppers to a number of popular chain shops that are typically found in similar malls around Canada.

	Winnipeg's Polo Park Mall 3

Winnipeg, often regarded as the cultural capital of the Prairies, has a number of artsy, eclectic neighbourhoods that offer a variety of distinctive shops and services. One such area is Osborne Village, a funky, diverse district located on the south side of the Assiniboine River. Visitors come to Osbourne Village to find craft shops, book stores, handmade chocolate connoisseurs and clothing boutiques with a modern, bohemian flair. Osbourne Village also offers over 30 restaurants, which together offer everthing under the sun.

Winnipeg's largest and oldest shopping mall, Polo Park, offers a good selection of mainstream shops and services, including large department stores and popular clothing shops. Polo Park is conveniently located close to the Winnipeg International Airport.

Toronto's Eaton Centre 4

ONTARIO

Canada's largest city, Toronto, has what many believe to be the best shopping in Canada. Toronto seems to have it all—from giant megastores to unique boutiques, foreign import outlets to homegrown outfitters, and ultrachic (and pricey) designer stores to bargain basement discount warehouses. International and local retailers unite in an amazing commercial feat at Toronto's Eaton Centre, which offers close to 300 shops and services. The Eaton Centre upholds Toronto's reputation of being a leader in the shopping industry by offering a number of cutting edge stores and boutiques.

Toronto's Bloor Street West/Yorkville is regarded by many as Canada's answer to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, Bond Street in London and Fifth Avenue in New York. Top designers from around the world have set firm roots on this lavish street, which is alternately known as the Mile of Mink. This stretch of road, from Avenue Road to Yonge Street, has attracted a large portion of the world's elite, who have been known to drop a small fortune in some of the ritzy boutiques. But Bloor Street appeals to the common folk too. A number of the trendy stores, while still considered upscale by most standards, offer a selection of reasonably priced goods. One thing is certain—an outfit or piece of jewellery from Bloor Street is sure to be in vogue.

A dozen or so blocks south of Bloor Street is Queen Street West (between University Avenue and Bathurst), known by Canada's ultra hip as the place to go in Toronto for both fashion items and household accessories. Local business owners think the street has become overwhelmed with chain stores, and they may be right, but the shopaholics aren't complaining—they have everything they need within a couple of blocks.

In Ottawa, tourists tend to head to the Rideau Centre, which is within a short walk from several attractions, including the Parliament Buildings. Rideau centre offers over 180 shops and services, including local and international shops. Rideau Centre is located across the street from the Byward Market, a unique outdoor shopping venue that offers a number of specialty shops and boutiques. Find one-of-a-kind crafts, clothing, food items and more at this year-round market. Hungry shoppers will also be pleased to know that the Byward and Rideau shopping areas are surrounded by a number of restaurants and food vendors.

QUÉBEC

Québec embodies what most French cultures exemplify—a love of fashion and all things chic. As such, the shopping opportunities in this unique region of Canada are extraordinaire. Quebec City, known for its abundant old-world charm, boasts North America's oldest commercial district, the Quartier Petit Champlain. Featuring a variety of galleries, fashion boutiques and jewellers, as well as a number of cafés, bistros and other eating and drinking establishments, the area is a must see in both summer, when colourful flowers adorn the streets, and winter, when gently falling snow turns the neighbourhood into a glistening utopia.

A Montréal Storefront 5

Montréal, Canada's most recognized metropolis after Toronto, is a bustling urban wonderland that overflows with culture and sophistication. Many of Montréal's legendary shopping spots can be found along the Rue St. Catherine in downtown Montréal. Le Centre Eaton on Ste. Catherine's is a sprawling commercial maze containing over 175 commercial and food vendors on five floors, plus a movie theatre. Nearby Complexe Desjardins offers a good selection of upscale cigar, gift, fashion, jewellery and specialty stores. A little ways down the road, the Faubourg Sainte-Catherine offers a number of specialty food shops, including a boulangerie (bakery), several restaurants and a variety of unique shops that carry items like imported giftware, home accessories and more.

Although Montréal can get a bit chilly in the winter, shopping in the downtown core is still easily accomplished with help from a 13 km (8 mi) network of tunnels that link several shopping areas, including Complexe Desjardins and Le Centre Eaton. Visitors can spend a small fortune in the shops, have a hearty lunch and catch a movie, all without putting their coat on.

ATLANTIC CANADA

Atlantic Canada is known for its charming fishing villages, but those who have been there know it's simply teeming with urban sophistication as well. Halifax, the largest city in Atlantic Canada, has a number of exciting malls, including Park Lane Mall in downtown Halifax, a stylish mall predominated by upscale boutiques; the Halifax Shopping Centre, which offers a number of trendy clothing stores; and the Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, a busy shopping centre with over 170 shops and services that can suit any need.

	Halifax's Historic Properties 6

However, to find something uniquely Nova Scotian, visitors should head to the Halifax Waterfront, where they will find the city's 10 oldest buildings, a group of warehouses now known collectively as the Historic Properties. These warehouses, which have been designated as National Canadian Historic Sites, helped make Halifax prosperous in Canada's early days by aiding trade and commerce, but they were also frequently used as vehicles for smuggling and privateering. Today, the warehouses have been transformed into chic boutiques, trendy shops and vibrant eating and drinking establishments. Visitors to the area will find a wide selection of goods, including souvenirs, handmade accessories and unique giftware. The Historic Properties are conveniently located close to most central hotels and attractions, including the sprawling Casino Nova Scotia.

The place to shop in New Brunswick is Champlain Place near Moncton, which is the biggest single-storey mall in Atlantic Canada and features over 150 shop and services, including several major department stores. In Newfoundland, The Village Shopping Centre on Topsail road in St. John's offers a wide selection of shops and services. And finally, Gateway Village on Prince Edward Island has a number of crafts and collectibles that will forever remind visitors of their trip to Canada's island gem. The shopping centre is located in Borden-Carleton near the Confederation Bridge, which links PEI to New Brunswick, making it the first and last place island travellers will visit.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

1. Martha Edwards; c/o WorldWeb.com; West Edmonton Mall; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2. Mike Berezowski; c/o WorldWeb.com; Shops along Calgary's 17th Avenue; Calgary, Alberta, Canada
3. Melissa Zembik; Winnipeg's Polo Park Mall; Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
4. Karine Kugler; c/o WorldWeb.com; Faux Geese fly over the heads of shoppers at Toronto's Eaton Centre; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
5. Norma Lang; c/o WorldWeb.com; Montréal storefronts display cutting edge fashions; Montréal, Québec, Canada
6. Christian Ruel; c/o Mirrorlock Photography; Halifax's Historic Properties at night; Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada