This Whistler institution specializes in Canadian art, and often hosts exhibitions and workshops with the artists on hand. Be sure to check out the stunning photographs of Blake Jorgenson. You might find yourself taking one of these works of art home.

This cozy bookstore has a broad selection of books for all ages, as well as beautiful photography books of the region that make lovely mementos of your stay in Whistler.

Housed in an iconic Art Deco building, the Atwater Market provides a slightly more upscale market experience than the one found at Jean Talon. The two-story indoor and outdoor complex houses numerous butchers, bakeries, restaurants and purveyors hawking fresh produce. Because the goods are of higher quality than those at Jean Talon, prices are a bit steeper. Both markets are worth visiting.

If you’re traveling with kids, make a point to swing by this toy emporium in the Saint-Roch neighborhood. It has a crafts room, a party room, a make-your-own stuffed animal area and tons of toys. On a freezing day, it’s a well-known excursion for families.

This store is about more than cashmere sweaters. Everything in it, for women and men, is made of luxuriously soft cashmere from Mongolia and Nepal. The Black Goat line includes cashmere hoodies, scarves, shawls, capes, hats, and sweaters in an array of sumptuous colors and designs.

Frederic and Stéphanie Bolduc showcase the treasures that they have picked up at fairs and estate sales in this shop on Rue St.-Paul. Most days one of the owners will be in the shop to give the provenance of each piece.

With stores at the base of Blackcomb, Whistler Village and Creekside, CAN-SKI is your one-stop shopping for skis, snowboards, and winter gear and clothing. The top winter sportswear designers they carry include Salomon, Descente, Spyder, Bogner, The North Face and Arc’teryx. CAN-SKI also has test centers atop Whistler and Blackcomb mountains, where you can demo skis, usually for free. If you like the pair you tried, you’ll get a discount to buy the same skis from CAN-SKI in their stores. There are additional stores at 4154 Village Green and 2051 Lake Placid Road.

Opened after its owners hosted a number of successful pop-up shops, this vintage emporium is Montreal’s best spot for upcycled wear. Adding to the already colorful character of the boutique is a series of live music shows and artful window displays. Their repurposed bags are especially splurge-worthy.

You can find all the standard designer names in Vancouver’s retail outlets, but if you’re looking for something unique to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest, head to one of the two branches of this gallery dedicated to the work of First Nation artists. Here you’ll find outstanding examples of the wood carving the coastal tribes are known for: masks, boxes, totems, oars. They also have prints and stone carvings and sculptures. Everything sold here is of exceptional quality. Their Gastown location is at 312 Water Street.

Comme des Enfants is the boutique of choice for Montreal’s young fashionistas, with quirky basics like a giraffe-print jumper and fun accessories like a chic wooden camera and neon wall prints. The sleek, all-white boutique embodies Montreal’s French sensibilities.

Some of the Italian designs here are more intricate than what you’d normally wear in the mountains, but in Whistler folks do like to don something other than fleece in the evening.

Toronto is a vintage-lover's wonderland, but even shoppers who possess no fondness for foraging will want to peek inside this tiny trove of antique jewelry, leather accessories and other nostalgic baubles. Highlights include patinaed Edwardian lockets and the wall of boots in worn-to-perfection shades of cognac and caramel, priced at twenty-five dollars a pair. Original Victorian display cases house the well-edited jewelry collections, adding to the air of sepia-toned romance.

Québec City’s premiere chocolatier since 1987, Erico is the place to go when mid-afternoon fatigue hits. The small storefront stocks an impressive selection of sweets, with everything from home-baked cookies to a dizzying array of truffles and a lengthy hot chocolate menu. There are a few gourmet goods as well; the mini fleur de sel fondue kit makes a wonderful gift. Make sure to stop by Érico’s chocolate museum, located next to the shop.

From full-on mountaineering and backpacking supplies to critical backcountry skiing items like avalanche beacons and airbag backpacks, you will find everything you need to enjoy Canada’s untamed mountains safely here. In addition to snowshoes, skis designed for off-piste conditions, and even ice axes, Escape Route carries Whistler’s most extensive supply of durable winter sportswear by the Vancouver-based company Arc’teryx.

Founded nearly two decades ago by serious outdoor fanatics, Fanatyk Co. is the place to go for ultra high performance ski gear and the best ski boot fitters. Although extreme skiers head to Fanatyk Co. for their ultra-wide powder skis, helmets and spine protectors, advanced-intermediate and expert skiers will also find a thoughtful selection of skis and boots here, and very friendly and knowledgeable staff to help guide their buying decisions. You can also drop your skis off here to get tuned. In late spring, Fanatyk Co. switches gears and becomes the prime location for hardcore mountain biking, selling suspension bikes and body armor.

Kasha Billobram's effortless street style is on display inside her laid-back Queen West boutique, where she stocks elevated basics in urban neutrals and architecture-inspired jewelry by promising local makers. Look for hammered brass bracelets from Michelle Ross and layerable cotton cord necklaces by Rune.

This petite boutique's curators are also the designers behind Toronto's twenty-year-old indie label Mercy Studio. They've spent their careers cultivating relationships with independent textile mills around the globe, so it's no surprise that Gaspard's racks are lined with quality fabrics from interesting places. Most of the collections carried here—by small designers from Japan, Italy, Finland and Belgium—can't be found anywhere else in Canada. There are digitally printed silk dresses, convertible fringed Oxford booties and whimsical, patterned apparel featuring toucans and cacti, all of which look right at home alongside the shop's avant-garde parent-label.

A new addition to Giovane Café and Winebar at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, this small deli-market features fine handcrafted food products from Italy and British Columbia, all hand-selected by the hotel’s chef. You’ll find perfect hostess gifts and take-home culinary treasures, including exclusive lines of Italian artisan olive oil not available anywhere else in North America, handcrafted Italian chocolates, handmade Italian pastas, and artisanal cheeses.

Opened in 1871, J.A. Moisan is the oldest grocery store in North America, and the shop is capable of conjuring nostalgia in all. Located in the charming Saint-Jean neighborhood, a fifteen-minute walk from downtown, the venerable general store is a portal into the past; wood furnishings and decorative antiques date back long before (most of) the goods lining the shelves. Visitors will find products from all over the world, from hard-to-find French biscuits and soft treacle toffee to locally brewed beer and a hodgepodge of delicate teapots. There is also a small prepared foods section and seating area for those who wish to sample their gourmet gatherings.

Located in the far-flung Little Italy neighborhood, the Jean Talon Market is one of Montreal’s most iconic tourist destinations, and a must-visit for foodies. While the Atwater market has more gourmet options, Jean Talon is the local favorite, and offers an authentic look into the lives of Montreal residents. Among the various offerings (butchers, produce stands, cheese mongers) are Olives et Epices, a fantastic spice shop, and Le Ryad, which offers Middle Eastern delicacies and pastries. Stop by Librarie Gourmande to pick up a souvenir for gourmands back home; the cookbook shop sells international titles as well as tomes from Montreal’s best restaurants like Joe Beef, Garde Manger and Toque!.

Stylish but sturdy, La Canadienne’s boots are a staple in any locals’ wardrobe thanks to their nearly supernatural ability to withstand harsh Montreal winters. Founded in 1961, the luxury shoe store churns out roughly 1,000 boots a day, which are sold  in their boutiques (and in hundreds of high-end department stores) alongside international shoe brands. Should one arrive unprepared for Montreal’s arctic winter elements, La Canadienne has an arsenal of frost-repelling gear, from outerwear to hats and gloves.

As much a case study in artful symmetry and coordination as a home goods shop, Les Touilleurs is also one of the finest kitchenware stores one could envision. Cookware lined up on the stark white walls doubles as décor, while the cookbooks, utensils and high-tech appliances on display provide ample distraction for hours of browsing. Those who want to do more than shop can sign up for one of the cooking classes with a local chef.

Rachel Fortin and Mathieu Mudie, co-owners of Mile End’s innovative Lo Well, drew inspiration for their shop from Lowell, a small suburb in Massachusetts. After the decline of the fur industry in Montreal, the manufacturing town was home to a large number of displaced French-Canadians, including both owners’ great-grandmothers. From this, the idea of repurposing the old was born; the duo sell modernized vintage furs, and place a special emphasis on maintaining the integrity and quality of each piece. The shop also offers a selection of local designers and sophisticated apparel for men, women and children. Another plus: all of the furnishings (antique filing cabinets, vintage sewing machines) in the store are for sale.

This menswear outfitter-cum-espresso bar supplies dapper gents with heritage utility boots, artisanal beard oil, masculine Miansai cuffs and Shinola watches. Bestsellers include old-school workman's Henleys by Vancouver-based brand Homespun and surf trunks designed on Toronto's own beaches.

The name of this quirky boutique in the antiques district of Québec City is the French translation for “cool thingamajig.” The owner, who trained as a graphic designer, displays her funky creations along with antique and contemporary furniture. Among the treasure trove are footstools fashioned out of wooden butter crates, old record albums, wooden snowshoes and vintage cigarette tins.

Montreal-based designer Marie Saint Pierre has been a staple on the city’s fashion scene since opening in 1988. Her classic aesthetic—she is known for simple tailoring and a unique use of color—produces timeless fashion for the everyday (but subtly chic) woman.