Province of Canada: New Leslieville flagship store dedicated to a made-in-Canada ethos

Photo: Province of Canada

Ask anyone around the world about Canadians, and you’re bound to get an answer of how we’re modest, polite and all-around nice guys. And let’s face it, the stereotypes — of lakes and mountains, moose and beavers and maple syrup slathered on pancakes — don’t stray too far from the truth.

But if there’s one area where we’re often misrepresented, it’s our fashion sense. Province of Canada is changing that impression one crewneck sweater and logo tee at a time from its new flagship store in Leslieville.

Launched in 2014, Province of Canada focuses on clothing and home goods that capture the essence of Canadiana in a laidback and minimalist way. The range includes well-cut basics, dresses, rugby shirts, toques, totes and candles across a variety of collections.

The all-Canadian brand — founded by partners and Leslieville locals Julie Brown and Jeremy Watt — creates high-quality lines for men, women, children and home goods that reflect their vision of what Canadian fashion should look like.

That includes designing and producing every product in Canada, but also putting every product they create through the filter: it doesn’t have to look Canadian to be Canadian.

“Whether it’s a crewneck sweater or a simple candle, the aesthetic and creative direction of Province of Canada steers clear of the visual stereotypes that are typically associated to a Canadian brand,” Watt says.

Its name nods to Upper and Lower Canada and takes influence from English and French nuances. Julie is from Quebec and Jeremy is from Ontario and when they happened across the name they thought it was perfect for the brand they envisioned.

After running a successful online business, the new Queen East shop is the brand’s first brick and mortar location and a place for customers to experience all of the made-in-Canada products first-hand.

Province of Canada is located at 1004 Queen St. E. Visit them at provinceofcanada.com.

Have your say on Leslieville's future

Leslieville Business Improvement Area (BIA) is asking for the public’s help in guiding the future of retail, dining and entertainment in the neighbourhood as it supports a community of 220 small businesses along Queen Street East from Booth Ave (Jimmie Simpson Park) to Vancouver Ave (just east of Greenwood).

The BIA has engaged an external consulting team, ThinkFresh Group and Futures Present, who are seeking to understand perceptions about Leslieville, the BIA and the many stories that are here in Leslieville. They will be using this to help create a narrative and strategic direction for the BIA.

As part of this process, local Leslieville residents are being solicited for feedback on what they tend to do in the neighbourhood. It will shape the community and you’ll also be entered into a draw for 50 Leslieville Dollars. Not bad for about 15 minutes of work.

Take the Leslieville resident survey. The survey closes at midnight on Sept. 13.

Leslieville lands new cannabis store in pot-shop lottery

Photo: Get Budding

The neighbourhood’s about to go up in smoke.

A Leslieville pot store applicant was among the 13 in Toronto (42 in Ontario) to win the province's second cannabis retail store lottery.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) lists the proposed store address as 1303 Queen St. E., which is a retail and residential building just east of The Burren.

That means the neighbourhood could be getting a government-approved cannabis retail shop, if all goes according to plan.

The lucky winners have until Aug. 28 to get paperwork in check for a full licensing review.