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TORONTO — Shoppers Drug Mart announced on Thursday that first quarter sales rose 3.8% thanks to strong volume in pharmacy and continued sales and market share gains at the front end. The company also indicated that it remains on the acquisition track and is "carefully" watching as Target bolsters its presence in Canada.

TORONTO — A new action plan and panel discussion aim to improve Canada's healthcare system and save $8.5 billion to $11 billion over three years at various levels of government.

The plan, "9,000 Points of Care: Improving Access to Affordable Healthcare," outlines five initiatives, including allowing pharmacists to administer vaccines and prescribe medications for minor ailments. The title refers to the number of community pharmacies in Canada.

TORONTO — With the prevalence of chronic disease conditions on the rise, Great-West Life, a provider of drug plan management solutions, and Canadian pharmacy retailer Shoppers Drug Mart have entered into an agreement to introduce two new health support programs for Great-West Life clients.

TORONTO — Despite continuing to face regulatory headwinds in the Canadian market, executives at Canadian pharmacy retailer Shoppers Drug Mart were “pleased” with fourth-quarter results and indicated that the company will continue to pursue acquisition opportunities.

TORONTO — Most retailers in Canada are ready for a phase-out of 1-cent coins, a national retailing trade group said Wednesday.

The Retail Council of Canada said the majority of the country's retail businesses were prepared for the disappearance of the penny and will follow the government's proposals for determining prices.

TORONTO — More than half of U.S. consumers would not recommend a particular pharmacy to family and friends, according to a new report by a Canadian customer experience management firm.

TORONTO – Waiving $2 co-pays in Ontario is a big piece of the reason behind a 6% lift in prescriptions dispensed for the third quarter through Oct. 6, Shoppers Drug Mart reported Tuesday afternoon. It's all part of a strategy to drive more seniors — and their prescriptions — into the store, executives told analysts. "We're seeing store gains across the country," noted Domenic Pilla, Shoppers president and CEO. "The incremental script count is above our initial expectations," he said.

TORONTO — Target is supporting up-and-coming Canadian fashion designers through a partnership with the Toronto Fashion Incubator, the company said Tuesday.

Target announced the partnership with the incubator for the annual TFI New Labels fashion-design competition, the winner of which will receive a C$25,000 cash award and will get to have his or her exclusive collection sold in Target stores across Canada in 2014.

TORONTO — Shrink costs Canadian retailers almost C$4 billion per year, according to a new report.

The report, released Wednesday by PwC and the Retail Council of Canada and based on a survey of 34 retailers from across Canada, estimated that retailers in Canada lose about C$10.8 million per shopping day to theft by customers and employees, counting mistakes and organized crime. Cosmetics and fragrances, alcohol and women's clothing were the three most popular items to steal, according to the report.

TORONTO — Procter & Gamble’s hair care brand Pantene has announced that Canadian actress, philanthropist and star Lisa Ray is the new Pantene Beautiful Lengths ambassador in Canada; who will encourage Canadians to grow and share their hair for cancer.

Since 2008, Pantene Beautiful Lengths has inspired Canadians to grow, cut and donate their healthy-looking hair to provide real-hair wigs for women who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments — at no cost.

 OTTAWA, Canada — A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics determined that 3-out-of-4 critically ill children were found to have vitamin D blood levels below the target considered safe by many experts and medical societies. 

"This is the first study to report on vitamin D levels in a large group of critically ill children," stated Dayre McNally, lead researcher and a clinical researcher and intensivist at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.