Monday, May 11, 2026

Move over Boxing Day. Black Friday has landed in Canada. And experts are predicting it may even overtake Boxing Day as our country’s biggest shopping event of the year.

Elise Copps has a look at the crowds.

Black Friday has been gaining ground in Canada for the past five years, with stores trying to capitalize on its massive success in the U.S. But this year, things feel a little different. With more marketing, lower prices and a sinking Canadian dollar, it seems to have really taken hold here in Canada.

2013 appears to be Canada’s breakout year for black friday.

Megan Johnson is General Manager at Toronto Premier Outlets: “We probably had 15-20 stores with lineups of over 100 people each.”

Shoppers crammed into malls, big box stores and outlet centres

Though crowds didn’t come close to the chaos south of the border, Canadians are expected to spend a record amount this weekend. Bank of Montreal predicts 15% more shoppers will take advantage of Black Friday deals this year compared to 2012. These shoppers sounded like they got what they wanted:

“It was originally $295 and I bought it for $100.”

“Usually I would get it for like $400 so I got it for 3 something.”

“Almost all 50 per cent off.”

Special promotions, extended hours and deep discounts. all cashing in on the american phenomenon that for years has taken a chunk out of Canadian Christmas sales.

Here at Toronto Premium Outlets, they’ve been preparing since August to get ready for the crowds associated with Black Friday. The shoppers at the front of this line have been waiting an hour and a half just to get into their favourite store.

Long lineups, and even longer receipts, many proving Canadian shoppers would rather spend money at home: “The American dollar went higher so we decided to stay back.”

“We were supposed to go to the U.S. But we didn’t do it.”

Even though some shoppers doubted whether they were getting the best deal: “Not as good as in the U.S.” “U.S. has better deals than here.”

It didn’t stop them from going home with bags full of Black Friday bargains.

And even though Back Friday is coming to a close, many stores are making this a weekend long event. Some are staying open until midnight Friday and extending their hours Saturday and Sunday as well. We won’t know how effective Canada’s Black Friday efforts were until the whole weekend’s numbers have been calculated. But as you said earlier, I’ve heard this year, Black Friday may surpass Boxing Day as Canada’s biggest shopping day of the year.