Here’s Where Canadians Plan to Travel Post-Lockdown

Unfortunately the only travel-related activity we’re doing right now is... cancelling all the plans we’d made for the summer. No more weekend getaways, summer weddings, trips to far-flung destinations. It’s disappointing, but with international travel likely restricted for months to come, Canadians are shifting their attention closer to home. According to new data from Booking.com, interest in domestic getaways has risen from 33% to 51%, with local properties in Canada appearing more frequently on travel ‘wish lists’ created on their website in March and April 2020 as compared to the same months in 2019.

Read on for the top 5 wish-listed domestic destinations for Canadians, and our suggestions for some of the best local shops, boutiques and small businesses to support in each city.

Toronto

VSP Consignment This luxury consignment store houses clothing, handbags, shoes, jewellery, sunglasses and more for men and women in a sleek space in Toronto’s West End. Brands they carry range from indie designers like Sid Neigum and Rachel Comey to big fashion houses like Chanel, Fendi and Gucci.

Rose City Goods This store selling home decor goods by independent designers and artisans features items like handmade soaps, jewellery, candles, rugs and more. Over 70% of their vendors are Canadian and approximately 80% of their inventory comes from female artists and entrepreneurs.

Province Apothecary This clean beauty brand makes its products—think serums, masks and oil cleansers—from organic ingredients sourced from each Canadian province, such as organic seaweed from Nova Scotia, and organic raspberry oil and glacial clay from British Columbia. In addition to a storefront, the brand also runs a skincare clinic for facials and other treatments.

Montreal

Ruse Boutique This consignment store carries a curated selection of designer pieces for men and women, from both buzzy contemporary designers as well as luxury fashion brands. Think vintage Levi’s jeans, Hermes bracelets, Comme des Garcons coats, Vetements shoes and more.

Lowell This leather goods store in Montreal’s Mile End neighbourhood is filled with handmade bags of every shape and silhouette, from backpacks to briefcases to weekenders to totes. In addition to their in-house designs, the Lowell boutique also carries a selection of accessories and clothing by other local brands.

Clark Street Mercantile The focus of this menswear store is craftsmanship, which is reflected in the products they carry from an eclectic group of global brands: sneakers from Slovakian shoe brand Novesta, denim from Japanese label OrSlow, fragrances from Brooklyn perfumer DS & Durga, and their own in-house candles & beard oils, made in small batches in Montreal.

Quebec City

Amimoc This family-owned moccasin company has been around for three generations, with every pair of shoes handmade in Quebec City. In addition to moccasins, Amimoc offers leather boots, flats, high-top sneakers and more for men, women and children.

Article 721 This charming boutique in the city’s Limoilou neighbourhood carries products from Quebec artists and designers along with a selection of vintage finds. Their eclectic inventory includes stationery, beauty products, jewellery, ceramics and more.

Niagara Falls

Reiner’s Originals The whimsical animal-shaped leather ottomans made by this Canadian brand are individually designed, hand-cut, hand-sewn and hand-built in Kitchener, Ontario. The brand’s Niagara-on-the-Lake location carries its signature furniture in the shape of bulldogs, elephants, hippos and more.

Maison Apothecare This all-natural skincare brand makes a range of clean products, like hand wash, body scrubs, serums, lotions, essential oils, room mists and more. Made using 100% pure plant derived extracts, the small-batch products come packaged in vintage glass bottles.

Vancouver

Old Faithful Shop Located in an historic building in Vancouver’s Gastown neighbourhood, this airy, light-filled store is packed with beautifully designed home goods, books, artwork and fragrances from brands like HAY, Kinto, Yield Design and Baggu.

One of a Few This cozy store has been a fixture of Vancouver’s retail scene for 15 years and carries a carefully curated selection of women’s clothing, footwear and accessories. Expect under-the-radar designers like Ilana Kohn, Lauren Manoogian and Maryam Nassir Zadeh, and local jewellery brands like Noon, Muraco Wolfe and Kara Yoo Jewelry.

Charlie & Lee This independent store is a decade old, and known for its selection of ethically sourced and locally made products from across North America. Brands they carry include Black Crane from Los Angeles, Penny Frances Apothecary from Vancouver, and Bare Knitwear from the Pacific Northwest.