
Summer in the city: Tourisme Montréal expects about 4 million visitors again this year
Tourisme Montréal is hoping for a slight increase in the number of visitors during the busy summer tourism season, but in a climate of global economic uncertainty, stability will be a good sign.
Last year, more than 11 million people visited the city, including about 4 million during the summer months. This year, Tourisme Montréal CEO Yves Lalumière said he expects those numbers to be relatively similar.
'We have confidence, and we're going to be happy to be positively stable,' he said.
Visitor numbers could increase or decline by about one per cent, Lalumière said.
Lalumière said it's hard to predict how many visitors will come from the U.S., which has been the largest source of visitors from outside Canada. But the number of people coming from other countries is expected to rise.
This year, airlines are adding flights to Edinburgh, Scotland; Naples, Italy; and Valencia, Spain, following recently added flights to South Korea, Japan, India and Morocco.
'That's three new flights,' Lalumière said.
He said that as the number of flights to and from the U.S. declines, some airlines are redeploying their resources.
That diversity of destinations bodes well for tourism, he said.
'What gives me confidence is the international flights are doing well,' he said, adding that the number of visitors coming to Montreal from Latin America, Morocco and Asia is rising.
The number of seats on flights from France is increasing from 33,000 a week to 36,000 a week, he said, and there are still 66,000 seats on flights between Montreal and the U.S.
'Some of the flights have been redeployed, but there's still lots of flights from the U.S. into Montreal,' Lalumière said.
The number of visitors from the U.S. expected this summer is harder to predict than in the past, Lalumière said, and could rise or fall by up to five per cent.
Advertising will target Americans' interest in Montreal's festivals and food and also highlight the fact that their dollar will go further here than at home. Lalumière said monthly surveys show that 37 per cent of Americans know there's a favourable exchange rate when visiting Canada, but very few know how much more the U.S. dollar is worth than its Canadian counterpart.
An advertising campaign with images like that of 'a bagel that's longer, an ice cream cone that's three feet tall' will highlight the favourable exchange rate for American visitors, Lalumière said. Some ads will have a dynamic calculator with the exchange rate.
Lalumière said he expects the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Montreal this week to have a big impact on tourism.
'It will add a new breed of customers to our list, especially the Americans,' he said.
The number of visitors from other parts of Canada is expected to rise by between three per cent and five per cent as Canadian travellers look to stay in the country instead of going to the U.S., he said.
Business travel is also strong, with 77 groups scheduled to hold conferences in the city this year and more expected in 2026 and 2027 as international and Canadian organizations look to host events in Canada, rather than in the U.S.
Lalumière said he expects Grand Prix weekend June 13-15 to push hotel occupancy to about 90 per cent and give the summer tourist season a strong start.
'It will be a different recipe, more Canadians, a bit more international and maybe a little less U.S., but the jury is still out on the U.S. at this point, so we feel confident,' he said.
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Cision Canada
14 minutes ago
- Cision Canada
BIRKS GROUP INC. REPORTS FISCAL 2025 RESULTS Français
, July 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Birks Group Inc. (the "Company" or "Birks Group") (NYSE American: BGI), today reported its financial results for the fiscal year ended March 29, 2025. Highlights All figures presented herein are in Canadian dollars. For the fiscal year ended March 29, 2025 ("fiscal 2025"), the Company reported net sales of $177.8 million, a decrease of $7.5 million or 4.0%, from the comparable fiscal year ended March 30, 2024 ("fiscal 2024"). Comparable store sales for fiscal 2025 decreased by 3.4% compared to the corresponding period in fiscal 2024. The decrease in net sales and comparable store sales is mainly due to lower sales of branded jewelry due to the exit of a jewelry brand from two stores. When excluding the third-party jewelry brand movement, the comparable store sales increased by 6.9%, mainly driven by timepiece sales. The Company reported gross profit of $66.3 million, or 37.3% of net sales, compared to $73.6 million, or 39.7% of net sales in fiscal 2024, due to lower sales volume resulting from the exit of a jewelry brand from two stores. Gross profit as a percentage of sales for fiscal 2025 was 37.3%, a decrease of 240 basis points from the gross profit as a percentage of sales of 39.7% for fiscal 2024 as a result of the sales mix with decreased sales from third-party branded jewelry, as well as a foreign exchange loss. Mr. Jean-Christophe Bédos, President and Chief Executive Officer of Birks Group, commented: "Although our net sales and comparable store sales for fiscal 2025 are lower than fiscal 2024, when excluding the effect of third-party jewelry brand movement, comparable store sales are positive year-over-year, as a result of a strong retail performance and product offering particularly in our third-party branded timepieces. In fiscal 2025, we opened two new stores under the TimeVallée and Birks brands and continued to benefit from the fiscal 2024 renovations in our Chinook and Laval locations. These initiatives along with our recent announcement of the acquisition of the watch and jewelry business of European Boutique will continue to generate greater sales and contribute to improve our results." Mr. Bédos further commented: "I would like to thank our teams for their tireless efforts. The results achieved in fiscal 2025 are a testament to our commitment to our customers and I am grateful for the unwavering efforts of all our employees and the implementation of various initiatives during this past year to enhance our product offering and customer experience." Financial overview for the fiscal year ended March 29, 2025: Total net sales for fiscal 2025 were $177.8 million compared to $185.3 million in fiscal 2024, a decrease of $7.5 million, or 4.0%. The decrease in net sales in fiscal 2025 was primarily driven by the results of the Company's retail channel. Net retail sales in fiscal 2025 were $7.3 million lower than fiscal 2024, primarily due to the decrease in third-party branded jewelry sales, following the exit of a jewelry brand from two stores, partially offset by an increase in branded timepiece sales throughout the retail network; Comparable store sales decreased by 3.4% in fiscal 2025 compared to fiscal 2024 mainly due to lower third-party branded jewelry sales following the exit of a jewelry brand from two stores, partially offset by an increase in third-party branded timepiece sales and an increase in average sales transaction value. When excluding the third-party jewelry brand movement, the comparable store sales increased by 6.9%, mainly driven by timepiece sales; Total gross profit for fiscal 2025 was $66.3 million, or 37.3% of net sales, compared to $73.6 million, or 39.7% of net sales, in fiscal 2024. This decrease in gross profit was primarily due to the decreased sales volume experienced during fiscal 2025, due to third-party branded jewelry sales following the exit of a jewelry brand from two stores, and a foreign exchange loss due to the strengthening of the U.S. dollar, partially offset by the increased sales of third-party branded timepieces. The decrease of 240 basis points in gross margin percentage resulted primarily from the sales mix with decreased sales from third-party branded jewelry, as well as a foreign exchange loss, partially offset by an increase in branded timepiece sales; SG&A expenses in fiscal 2025 were $59.5 million, or 33.5% of net sales, compared to $65.7 million, or 35.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2024, a decrease of $6.2 million. The main drivers of the decrease in SG&A expenses in fiscal 2025 include lower occupancy costs ($2.7 million) mainly due to store closures and store lease modifications, lower marketing costs ($2.3 million) mainly due to lower brand development initiatives, lower compensation costs ($0.5 million) mainly due to lower sales volume and head count reductions, lower general operating costs ($0.4 million) and lower non-cash based compensation expense ($0.3 million) mainly due to fluctuations in the Company's stock price during the fiscal year. As a percentage of sales, SG&A expenses in fiscal 2025 decreased by 200 basis points as compared to fiscal 2024, reflecting the Company's focus on cost management and containment; The Company's adjusted EBITDA (1) for fiscal 2025 was $9.2 million, a decrease of $0.8 million, compared to adjusted EBITDA (1) of $10.0 million for fiscal 2024; The Company's reported operating loss for fiscal 2025 was $5.5 million, a decrease of $6.7 million, compared to a reported operating income of $1.2 million for fiscal 2024. The operating loss in fiscal 2025 includes an impairment of long-lived assets of $4.6 million related to the write-down of capitalized software costs associated with the delay in completing the implementation of the Company's ERP system; The Company's recognized interest and other financing costs were $9.7 million in fiscal 2025, an increase of $1.7 million, compared to recognized interest and other financing costs of $8.0 million in fiscal 2024. This increase is mainly due to an increase in the average amount outstanding on the amended credit facility, additional borrowings, and a foreign exchange loss of $1.0 million in fiscal 2025 versus a foreign exchange gain of $0.2 million in fiscal 2024 on our U.S. dollar denominated debt; The Company recognized a net loss for fiscal 2025 of $12.8 million, or $0.66 per share, compared to a net loss for fiscal 2024 of $4.6 million, or $0.24 per share. (1) This is a non-GAAP financial measure defined below under "Non-GAAP Measures" and accompanied by a reconciliation to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. About Birks Group Inc. Birks Group is a leading designer of fine jewelry and an operator of luxury jewelry, timepieces and gifts retail stores in Canada. The Company operates 17 stores under the Maison Birks brand in most major metropolitan markets in Canada, one retail location in Montreal under the Birks brand, one retail location in Montreal under the TimeVallée brand, one retail location in Calgary under the Brinkhaus brand, one retail location in Vancouver under the Graff brand, one retail location in Vancouver under the Patek Philippe brand, four retail locations in Laval, Ottawa and Toronto under the Breitling brand, four retail locations in Toronto under the European Boutique brand, one retail location in Toronto under the Omega brand and one retail location in Toronto under the Montblanc brand. Birks was founded in 1879 and has become Canada's premier designer and retailer of fine jewelry, timepieces and gifts. Additional information can be found on Birks' web site, NON-GAAP MEASURES The Company reports financial information in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("U.S. GAAP"). The Company's performance is monitored and evaluated using various sales and earnings measures that are adjusted to include or exclude amounts from the most directly comparable GAAP measure ("non-GAAP measures"). The Company presents such non-GAAP measures in reporting its financial results to assist in business decision-making and to provide key performance information to senior management. The Company believes that this additional information provided to investors and other external stakeholders will allow them to evaluate the Company's operating results using the same financial measures and metrics used by the Company in evaluating performance. The Company does not, nor does it suggest that investors and other external stakeholders should, consider non-GAAP measures in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. These non-GAAP measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. In addition to our results determined in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use non-GAAP measures including "EBITDA" and "Adjusted EBITDA". "EBITDA" is defined as net income (loss) before interest expense and other financing costs, income taxes expense (recovery) and depreciation and amortization. (in thousands) For the fiscal year ended March 29, 2025 March 30, 2024 Net income (loss) (GAAP measure) $ (12,819) $ (4,631) as a % of net sales -7.2 % -2.5 % Add the impact of: Interest expense and other financing costs 9,712 8,007 Depreciation and amortization 7,733 6,639 EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 4,626 $ 10,015 as a % of net sales 2.6 % 5.4 % Add the impact of: Impairment of long-lived assets (a) 4,592 — Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP measure) $ 9,218 $ 10,015 as a % of net sales 5.2 % 5.4 % (a) Non-cash impairment of long-lived assets in fiscal 2025 related to certain software costs associated with the delay in completing the implementation of the Company's ERP system. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward- looking statements which can be identified, for example, by their use of words such as "plans," "expects," "believes," "will," "anticipates," "intends," "projects," "estimates," "could," "would," "may," "planned," "goal," and other words of similar meaning. All statements that address expectations, possibilities or projections about the future, including without limitation, statements about anticipated economic conditions, generation of shareholder value, and our strategies for growth, performance drivers, expansion plans, sources or adequacy of capital, expenditures and financial results are forward-looking statements. Because such statements include various risks and uncertainties, actual results might differ materially from those projected in the forward- looking statements and no assurance can be given that the Company will meet the results projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the following: (i) a decline in consumer spending or deterioration in consumer financial position; (ii) economic, political and market conditions, including the economies of Canada and the U.S. and the influence of inflation on consumer spending, which could adversely affect the Company's business, operating results or financial condition, including its revenue and profitability, through the impact of changes in the real estate markets, changes in the equity markets and decreases in consumer confidence and the related changes in consumer spending patterns, the impact on store traffic, tourism and sales as well as the recently imposed tariffs (and retaliatory measures), possible changes therefrom and other trade restrictions; (iii) the impact of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, increases in commodity prices and borrowing costs and their related impact on the Company's costs and expenses; (iv) the Company's ability to maintain and obtain sufficient sources of liquidity to fund its operations, to achieve planned sales, gross margin and net income, to keep costs low, to implement its business strategy, maintain relationships with its primary vendors, to source raw materials, to mitigate fluctuations in the availability and prices of the Company's merchandise, to compete with other jewelers, to succeed in its marketing initiatives (including with respect to Birks branded products), and to have a successful customer service program; (v) the Company's plan to evaluate the productivity of existing stores, close unproductive stores and open new stores in new prime retail locations, renovate existing stores and invest in its website and e-commerce platform; (vi) the Company's ability to execute its strategic vision; and (vii) the Company's ability to invest in and finance capital expenditures; (viii) the Company's ability to maintain its listing on the NYSE American exchange or to list its shares on another national securities exchange; and (ix) the Company's ability to continue as a going concern. Information concerning the above and other risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially is set forth under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Operating and Financial Review and Prospects" and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 25, 2025 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this statement or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. F iscal Year Ended March 29, 2025 March 30, 2024 Net sales $ 177,807 $ 185,275 Cost of sales 111,499 111,720 Gross profit 66,308 73,555 Selling, general and administrative expenses 59,518 65,705 Depreciation and amortization 7,733 6,639 Impairment of long-lived assets 4,592 — Total operating expenses 71,843 72,344 Operating income (loss) (5,535) 1,211 Interest and other financial costs 9,712 8,007 Income (loss) before taxes and equity in earnings of joint venture (15,247) (6,796) Income taxes (benefits) — — Equity in earnings of joint venture, net of taxes of $0.9 million ($0.8 million in fiscal 2024) 2,428 2,165 Net (loss) income, net of tax $ (12,819) $ (4,631) Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 19,357 19,058 Diluted 19,357 19,058 Net (loss) income per common share: Basic $ (0.66) $ (0.24) Diluted (0.66) (0.24) As of March 29, 2025 March 30, 2024 Assets Current Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,509 $ 1,783 Accounts receivable and other receivables 6,608 8,455 Inventories 116,277 99,067 Prepaids and other current assets 2,072 2,913 Total current assets 126,466 112,218 Long-term receivables 1,084 1,571 Equity investment in joint venture 5,169 4,122 Property and equipment 25,380 25,717 Operating lease right-of-use asset 34,964 51,753 Intangible assets and other assets 3,017 7,887 Total non-current assets 69,614 91,050 Total assets $ 196,080 $ 203,268 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity (Deficiency) Current liabilities Bank indebtedness $ 73,630 $ 63,372 Accounts payable 58,114 43,011 Accrued liabilities 6,053 6,112 Current portion of long-term debt 4,860 4,352 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 6,929 6,430 Total current liabilities 149,586 123,277 Long-term debt 21,374 22,587 Long-term portion of operating lease liabilities 38,629 59,881 Other long-term liabilities 4,502 2,672 Total long-term liabilities 64,505 85,140 Stockholders' equity (deficiency): Class A common stock – no par value, unlimited shares authorized, issued and outstanding 11,876,717 (11,447,999 as of March 30, 2024) 42,854 40,725 Class B common stock – no par value, unlimited shares authorized, issued and outstanding 7,717,970 57,755 57,755 Preferred stock – no par value, unlimited shares authorized, none issued — — Additional paid-in capital 19,719 21,825 Accumulated deficit (138,295) (125,476) Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (44) 22 Total stockholders' equity (deficiency) (18,011) (5,149) Total liabilities and stockholders' equity (deficiency) $ 196,080 $ 203,268 Company Contact: Katia Fontana Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (514) 397-2592 For all press and media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] SOURCE Birks Group Inc.


The Market Online
38 minutes ago
- The Market Online
@ the Bell: Trump hints at Canada tariffs as markets eye central banks and tech earnings
The muted theme of the week came to an end as Canada's main stock index scored a triple-digit gain on Friday. The TSX struggled as the mining sector led losses for a second straight session though technology shares carried the weight of gains, as President Donald Trump suggested the United States might not strike a negotiated trade deal with Canada, suggesting his administration could impose tariffs independently. Market sentiment this week was lifted by trade agreements the US reached with Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Ongoing negotiations with the European Union and South Korea have further fueled optimism for additional deals. Looking ahead, attention is turning to several key events next week, including monetary policy decisions from both the Bank of Canada and the US Federal Reserve, along with earnings reports from several major tech firms known as the 'Magnificent Seven.' According to a Reuters survey, economists expect the Bank of Canada to maintain its overnight interest rate at 2.75 per cent during its July 30 meeting, marking the third consecutive time the rate has remained unchanged. The Canadian dollar traded for 72.94 cents US compared to 73.24 cents US on Thursday. US crude futures traded $0.85 lower at US$65.18 a barrel, and the Brent contract lost $0.73 to US$68.45 a barrel. The price of gold was down US$32.62 to US$3,336.43. In world markets, the Nikkei was down 370.11 points to ¥41,456.23, the Hang Seng was down 278.83 points to HK$25,388.35, the FTSE was down 18.06 points to ₤9,120.31, and the DAX was down 78.43 points to €24,217.50. Stockhouse does not provide investment advice or recommendations. All investment decisions should be made based on your own research and consultation with a registered investment professional. The issuer is solely responsible for the accuracy of the information contained herein. For full disclaimer information, please click here .


Cision Canada
an hour ago
- Cision Canada
Insured losses from Jasper wildfire rise to just under $1.3 billion
Permitting delays slow rebuilding one year after wildfire EDMONTON, AB, July 25, 2025 /CNW/ - Insured losses from the Jasper wildfire are now estimated to be close to $1.3 billion, according to new data released today by Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). This is an increase of $80 million over the six-month estimate from CatIQ in January. "One year after the second-costliest fire event in Canadian history, many residents are still working through the process of securing the proper permits to begin reconstruction of their property," said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, Insurance Bureau of Canada. "Despite delays, residents can rest assured that insurers will stand with them until every claim is closed." The July 24, 2024, wildfire destroyed 358 homes and businesses in the town of Jasper. Today, only 56 (15%) are approved for reconstruction, and only two buildings are currently being rebuilt. "The federal government recently announced that it would be expediting efforts moving forward and providing up to $5 million in additional support to cover the unexpected cost of soil testing and removal. This is a positive move and one that hopefully bolsters reconstruction efforts to begin in earnest," said Sutherland. "There's still a lot of work to do and rebuilding will take time, but there is light at the end of a very long tunnel for Jasper residents who lost so much in the fire. The people of Jasper have shown tremendous resilience, and Alberta's insurers will continue to match that spirit and support their customers every step of the way." Alberta's insurers have been on the ground in Jasper since the first day of the fire and are continuing to provide financial support to residents who lost their homes. Insurers also coordinated and paid for the removal, de-gassing and proper disposal of about 2,300 fridges and freezers ruined by food spoilage due to prolonged power outages during several weeks of the evacuation. This coordinated residential bulk-debris-removal program is helping to reduce costs and speed up recovery in the community. In April, wildfire recovery efforts reached a significant milestone with the completion of the insurer-coordinated debris removal program. Insured damage caused by severe weather events in 2024 surpassed $9.2 billion for the first time in Canadian history (January 2025 estimate was $8.5 billion). Last summer was the most expensive on record in Canada for catastrophic weather events, with 228,000 insurance claims and over $8 billion in insured damage. These events are placing pressure on insurance premiums in Alberta and across the country, and are important reminders of the need to increase investments in resilience and other measures to better protect communities. Governments across Canada have a critical role to play in better protecting Canadians from natural disasters. This includes: Halting the construction of unprotected homes and businesses in high-risk flood and wildfire zones Investing in vulnerable communities to ensure they are FireSmart and better protected against flooding Helping homeowners understand the specific risks they face in their area Subsidizing home retrofits to help reduce exposure to floods and wildfires. Canada also needs a federal coordinating agency to guide emergency preparedness and recovery so that communities across the country don't have to create unique playbooks after each catastrophic event. Every other G7 country has an agency operating in this capacity – it's time for Canada to follow suit and take a proactive approach to emergency management. The amount of insured damage is an estimate provided by CatIQ ( under license to IBC. About Insurance Bureau of Canada Established in 1964, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of Canada's highly competitive property and casualty (P&C) insurance market. As the leading advocate for Canada's private P&C insurers, IBC collaborates with governments, regulators and stakeholders to support a competitive environment for the P&C insurance industry to continue to help protect Canadians from the risks of today and tomorrow. IBC believes that Canadians value and deserve a responsive and resilient private P&C insurance industry that provides insurance solutions to both individuals and businesses. For media releases, IN Focus articles, or to book an interview with an IBC representative, visit Follow us on LinkedIn, X and Instagram, and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. We're here to help. SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada