Well it appears Crate and Barrel has finally come to Canada.
The employees were quite helpful. A little too helpful for my tastes but pleasant and not intrusive while browsing. It's the kind of "too helpful" in the sense that I don't really need to know if the stuffing in the couch I'm about to buy is 100% whole wheat environmentally friendly soy based product grown from virgin plants that always face south... blah blah blah.. I purchased their entry-level micro-suade Sofa and after a few weeks with it I'm quite happy for the price.
The selection is nice and things generally feel of better quality than other options Ikea, Bombay, etc. It's a little more pricy here but the merchandise is better. I'd estimate it's on par with Pottery Barn.
I like it because you're less likely to run into the furniture you've just purchased at all of your friends places, it's a little more exclusive and not so massively consumed.
One concern would be that I'd be a little reluctant to get into their really high-end couches and dining sets because you start getting into Ethan Allen prices.