Staples Canada to Host Toys R Us Departments

Staples Canada will bring Toys R Us and Parties R Us departments into its stores, starting with a pilot in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Retail

Bright empty retail aisle with low shelving, stacked neutral boxes, and a small cluster of plush toys on a pale wooden display table under skylight daylight. — Staples Canada will open Toys R Us and Parties R Us departments in its stores, beginning with a November 14 pilot at its Richmond Hill, Ontario location. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Staples Canada has reached a deal with Next Century Ipco Can ULC to open Toys R Us and Parties R Us departments within its locations. The partnership begins with a pilot launching November 14 at a Staples store in Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Why it matters

The arrangement revives the Toys R Us brand in Canada after its operator filed for creditor protection earlier in 2026. It gives Canadian shoppers a new way to buy toys and party supplies through an existing retail network.

Next Century bought 150 Toys R Us Canada trademarks earlier in 2026, and the partners aim to place departments in roughly 300 Staples stores by the end of 2027. The rollout starts at one pilot store, and the source does not disclose the deal's financial terms or the timeline for expansion beyond the pilot.

The players

Staples Canada

Staples Canada is the Canadian arm of the office supply retailer that is hosting the new toy and party departments in its stores.

Next Century Ipco Can ULC

Next Century Ipco Can ULC is the company that acquired the Toys R Us Canada trademarks and is bringing the brand back to Canadian shelves.

Ad Populum

Ad Populum is a U.S. firm that owns Party City, manages several toy companies, and is involved with Graceland, and it is the parent affiliate of Next Century.

The details

Toys R Us and Parties R Us will operate as dedicated shopping areas inside Staples Canada stores. Next Century Ipco Can ULC, an affiliate of U.S. firm Ad Populum, is the operator behind the arrangement.

Earlier in 2026: Next Century bought 150 Toys R Us Canada trademarks after the retailer filed for creditor protection.
November 14, 2026: The pilot Toys R Us department launches at a Staples store in Richmond Hill, Ontario.
End of 2027: The companies aim to open departments in roughly 300 Staples stores.

Market Landscape

The Toys R Us brand's collapse left a gap in the Canadian toy market, and this deal tests whether shared floor space inside a larger retailer can restore it. The move also shows how big-box chains are increasingly hosting third-party departments to fill niche categories.

Canadian shoppers will be able to buy toys and party supplies at participating Staples stores, starting with the Richmond Hill pilot on November 14. Availability will expand only if the pilot proves workable, so most shoppers will not see the departments right away.

The takeaway

Shoppers looking for toys or party supplies may find them inside a Staples store once the pilot launches, though the wider rollout depends on how the Richmond Hill location performs.

What happens next

The pilot Toys R Us department opens at the Richmond Hill Staples on November 14, 2026, with a target of roughly 300 Staples stores by the end of 2027.