Reitmans has carried out another round of layoffs this year as the Montreal-based retailer seeks to improve its profitability. The company laid off 41 employees from its headquarters in September, according to notices sent to the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity. The owner of the Reitmans, Penningtons, and RW & Co. brands is implementing a transformation plan “to strengthen the foundations of its long-term growth,” a spokesperson explained in an email. “These decisions are never easy to make and are never taken lightly,” the company added. This isn’t the first time Reitmans has made cuts since the beginning of the year. The company had already laid off 65 employees from its headquarters last January, representing nearly 9 per cent of the workforce at the time. It had also laid off 10 workers from a distribution centre, representing 5 per cent of the workforce. The company states that the September layoffs are “the final phase” of reorganization efforts within the company. Decrease in payroll Reitmans reduced its payroll by $3 million over six months, from February to July, according to financial documents released in September. During a presentation to investors in September, President and CEO Andrea Limbardi reiterated the goal of improving the profitability of the business. “The big story for us this quarter is our deliberate focus on gross margins,” the executive said during the earnings call for the second quarter ending Aug. 1. Limbardi noted that the retailer had managed its inventory “more tightly” and adopted a “more disciplined” promotional approach. The gross profit margin improved by 1.6 percentage points to 58.5 per cent in the second quarter. She also noted that rising fuel prices are putting pressure on operating costs. “We believe this challenge will persist,” she said. Reitmans said Thursday that the company “remains a financially sound organization with a healthy balance sheet and the resources necessary to implement its long-term strategy.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 1, 2026. Stéphane Rolland, The Canadian Press
