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” There’s never a day that goes by that we don’t have the resources that we need.

Amanda Fancy Store Owner Bridgewater, NS

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When you join the Home Hardware family, you become part of a tight-knit community that’s free from the pressures of external shareholders. Gain access to a trusted brand with personalized resources dedicated to helping your unique business thrive, plus a coastto-coast Dealer network ready to back you every step of the way.

REBECCA DUMAIS, EDITOR

OH, CANADA!

The industry has never seen such a Buy Canadian movement. This issue explores all aspects of running a store in the Great White North

Oh, Canada! I say that almost chidingly. Ever since the changing of the guard at the White House, and tariff talks and Canada’s retaliation, the industry is wondering what will really happen—and how it will all affect the cost of business, right down to the customer.

As we move into the latter part of 2025, we’re navigating a landscape shaped by shifting economic conditions, evolving consumer demands, and technological advancements. Despite challenges such as fluctuating material costs and ongoing labour shortages, the outlook remains optimistic for businesses that embrace adaptability and innovation. Read what some industry leaders have to say on the topic, on page 48.

The professional contractor market is also seeing steady demand, particularly in remodelling and maintenance work. With interest rates still impacting new home purchases, many homeowners are choosing to renovate rather than move, further boosting the need for skilled

labour and quality materials. Companies that invest in workforce development, apprenticeships, and upskilling programs will have a competitive advantage in the years ahead.

If you’re planning on selling your pro lumberyard, flip to page 54 to learn about hiring a business valuator. For those wanting to pass the baton to their next generation, our feature on succession planning looks at how others in the industry have navigated the transition quite nicely.

Also in this issue, we feature Markus Lange, who brings his years of related experience from Germany to E.G. Penner. This Sexton member store, which is located in Steinbach, Man., won an Outstanding Retailer Award in the category of Best Large Surface Retailer at the Hardlines Conference last October. Plus, read about Supply-Build Canada’s rebranding, tips on hiring and firing, and more.

rebecca@hardlines.ca

We’re navigating a landscape shaped by shifting economic conditions, evolving consumer demands, and technological advancements. “ ”

NEWSROUNDUP

OF THE HOME IMPROVEMENT INDUSTRY

HOME DEPOT CANADA NAMES VINOD NALAJALA AS PRESIDENT

Vinod Nalajala has been promoted to the role of president of Home Depot Canada. He replaces Michael Rowe, who has been appointed executive vicepresident of pro at Home Depot’s head o ce in Atlanta, Ga.

Nalajala has spent 24 years at Home Depot, starting as a sales associate in a store in Vancouver. When Home Depot opened its Regina location, Nalajala ran it as store manager before becoming regional sales manager, senior manager of sales execution, and district manager. More recently, he served as vice-president of human resources, central operations, contact centres, asset protection, and building services.

“As the new president of e Home Depot Canada, I am honoured to lead our associates into the next chapter of our company,” Nalajala told Hardlines.

“My journey with Home Depot began in 2001 as a sales associate, and I have since taken on various leadership roles. I believe that our success is driven by two key factors: our people and our values. As we look ahead, I am excited to grow our DIY and pro business with these pillars in mind.”

Vinod Nalajala, the newly-appointed

RONA WORKING WITH AI TO FILL ITS ONLINE CUSTOMERS’ CARTS

The effective implementation of AI to bolster sales and improve customer experience has been the biggest challenge for many retailers. Adam Powell, chief digital officer at RONA inc., believes this relationship can be improved—starting at the search function of the company’s website.

The company has implemented an AI feature, which improves search functionality and provides more precise search results. RONA partnered with Constructor, a product search and discovery platform, which has worked with other large retailers including Sephora, Petco, and Target Australia. By adopting this technology into its search functionality, RONA

was able to integrate advanced AI capabilities to adapt its product catalogue.

“Fifty percent of customers will abandon a site if they deem the search results unsatisfactory,” Powell said, adding that customers now expect AI will be used to provide them with the right product information. Results have to be more relevant and personalized. “As a result, the search functionality has to evolve to meet the demands of current customers,” he added.

The updated RONA website moves away from traditional search and keyword functionality. The data collected helps make recommendations and learns from customer

RONA has implemented an AI feature, which improves search functionality and provides more precise search results.

inputs to provide a more precise product result. Powell said the results are therefore more relevant and “not based on our opinion.” The technology learns from past results and puts the recommendations into the hands of the consumer, reflecting trends and changes in buying patterns.

president of Home Depot Canada, began as a sales associate in Vancouver.

WITH PEAVEY MART CLOSING, OTHER RETAILERS STEP UP FARM SALES

Peavey Industries, under creditor protection from the Alberta courts, is closing all of its stores across Canada. The Red Deer, Alta.based farm and hardware retailer had 90 Peavey Mart stores and six MainStreet Hardware locations.

“This was a profoundly difficult decision, but one that allows us to explore the best possible alternatives for the future of the company,” said Doug Anderson, president and CEO of Peavey Industries. When Peavey first announced the news in January, the company stated that its “immediate priority is to generate liquidity through the closure process while continuing to work with funders, partners, and stakeholders to explore potential opportunities to preserve the brand.”

The company cited the business conditions that forced it into bankruptcy protection. The Canadian retail industry is experiencing unprecedented challenges, it said, including record-low consumer

confidence, inflationary pressures, rising operating costs, and ongoing supply disruptions, along with a difficult regulatory environment.

Add to that Peavey’s uneasy alliance with Ace Hardware, whereby Peavey took over the Ace licence in Canada in early 2020 and began servicing some 90 Ace dealers across the country. The arrival of the Covid pandemic and the logistics of hardware distribution in Canada worked against Peavey, and the deal was terminated effective Dec. 31, 2024.

The company stated that its decision to seek creditor protection and close all stores was made after evaluating all available options.

“For nearly six decades, our customers’ loyalty, employees’ dedication, and the resilience of the communities we serve have been the cornerstone of our business,” Anderson continued. “We remain focused on working with our partners and stakeholders to preserve the Peavey brand and the value it represents.”

BRIEFLY

CALGARY-AREA DC PLANNED FOR PRINCESS AUTO

Princess Auto is slated to open a new warehouse just outside Calgary in 2026. The 605,000-square-foot Stoney North Logistics Centre will be the first building on the Balzac, Alta., property.

CASTLE EXPANDS COMMERCIAL SIDE WITH LATEST MEMBER

The Beauchesne group of companies, representing a major commercial dealer presence in the province of Quebec, has joined Castle Building Centres Group, as part of the group’s commercial division. Founded in 1964, Beauchesne now has three locations in the Montreal area, as well as two outlets in Quebec City under its sister company, Distribution Ste-Foy.

FCL ANNOUNCES YEAR-END DIVIDENDS

Federated Co-operatives Ltd. reported that 2024 sales reached $11.9 billion, resulting in net earnings of $297 million. As a result, FCL provided $252 million back to local Co-ops in 650 communities across Western Canada.

CANAC CONTINUES TO OPEN STORES

Canac opened its newest store in January in Rivière-du-Loup, Que. The location, the chain’s 34th, boasts a 30,649-square-foot sales area, lumber yard, and 35,157-square-foot LBM warehouse. Canac’s next store opening is slated for the spring in Salaberryde-Valleyfield, just west of the island of Montreal.

Peavey Industries, under creditor protection from the Alberta courts, is closing all of its stores across Canada.

BMR PROMOTES ALL-CANADIAN STATUS AT SOLLIO AGM

Sollio Cooperative Group ended its 2024 fiscal year with a net surplus of $270.7 million, up 135 percent from $115.4 million in 2023. The parent of BMR Group unveiled results at its recent annual general meeting.

Sales for the co-op fell by almost $500 million to $7.8 billion from $8.3 billion the previous year. Falling grain prices in particular contributed to the decline. However, BMR Group showed “a cautious recovery,” Sollio said. Its net surplus of $30.5 million was down by just $4 million, despite all-time low housing starts early in the year.

BMR is emphasizing its history as a business founded and controlled by Quebecers, as public mood sours on buying American goods. “You can’t get more Quebecois than BMR,” CEO Alexandre Lefebvre told La Presse. “It’s not the flavour of the month. It’s an enterprise that will never be sold because it’s a co-op.”

Alexandre Lefebvre emphasizes BMR’s history as a Quebec-founded and -controlled business.

Amidst talks of tariffs from the U.S., BMR launched ads showing a mineral wool background with a message reminding that the company has been “pure laine” Quebecois since 1967. (The expression, which literally translates to “pure wool,” refers to old-stock Quebecers).

PRAIRIE ASSOCIATION HAS A NEW NAME

The former Western Retail Lumber Association has undergone a major rebranding. The association has been renamed as SupplyBuild Canada, to reflect a wider view of the industry, along with new alliances and a repositioning of its trade show.

“As the association expands its advocacy efforts and external partnerships, the Western Retail Lumber Association name became a misnomer,” says association president Liz Kovach. “The building supply industry encompasses building materials beyond lumber, and the association represents manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and other categories not represented by just retail.”

Because many of the association’s members, especially on the supplier side, have offices and production outside of the West, the new name intends to capture that, “making a wholesale change of name both necessary and timely,” Kovach adds.

Along with the new name, Supply-Build Canada announced a partnership with the North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) to access that organization’s extensive library of online and inperson training and educational programs. Supply-Build Canada will be the only licensed provider of NHPA’s educational and training programs Canada-wide.

BRIEFLY

ABSDA CELEBRATES 70 YEARS AT SHOW

The Atlantic Building Supply Dealers Association’s 2025 Expo this spring marked the association’s 70th anniversary. The event included the induction of three new lifetime ABSDA members: Tim Dietrich, director of retail operations for Atlantic Canada at Home Hardware Stores Ltd.; Chris Deveaux, past chair of the ABSDA board of directors; and John Logan, its longest-serving employee.

AD REPORTS SOLID GROWTH

Member sales by AD have increased by 6.0 percent in 2024 to US$83.3 billion. On a same-store basis, sales for the buying group in Canada rose by 3.0 percent.

CLOVERDALE PAINT PARTNERS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS

Cloverdale Paint, the coatings manufacturer and retailer based in Surrey, B.C., has joined with Celanese Corp., a global specialty materials and chemical company, to manufacture paint with a smaller carbon footprint. Using Celanese technology called carbon capture and utilization (CCU), the process will provide Cloverdale Paint with new ways to manage emissions and offer more sustainable paint products.

MATÉRIAUX PONT-MASSON RETURNS TO RONA

Matériaux Pont-Masson, which operates nine stores in Quebec and Ontario, has rejoined RONA’s network of affiliated dealers. It was previously a member from 1996 to 2021.

"We chose RONA to expand our retail offering, in addition to our lumber and building materials, because we wanted to diversify. In variable economic cycles, these two industry sectors react differently. Being strong on both retail and LBM gives us peak value depending on market fluctuations."

Andrew Doidge Dealer owner since 2017

RONA Doidge Building Centres Kincardine, Fort Erie, Welland, Miller Lake, Bradford, Southampton, Port Perry, Carp, Woodlawn, Cobourg, Bracebridge and Port Hope

Évolution Distribution head Geneviève Gagnon and Sexton Group president Eric Palmer thanked the vendors who braved the winter weather to join EvoX’s team and member dealers.

EVOX, CANADA’S NEWEST BUYING GROUP, HOSTS INFO SESSION IN MONTREAL

EvoX, the new buying group serving the Quebec market, brought dealers and vendor partners together in Montreal earlier this year. They spent the day building relationships and sharing information.

The joint venture, which became official on Jan. 1, combines the national profile of Winnipeg-based Sexton Group and the regional strength of Évolution Distribution in Quebec. It unites all of Évolution Distribution’s current members and Sexton’s Quebec members.

During the day, they heard an update on the services offered by the buying group. In the evening, Évolution Distribution head Geneviève Gagnon and Sexton Group president Eric Palmer thanked the vendors who braved the winter weather to join EvoX’s team and member dealers.

The pair first announced the partnership

last fall. At the time, Gagnon and Palmer explained that their respective companies “shared pretty key core values.”

The partnership “adds a lot of credibility in the Quebec market,” Shane McDonald, Sexton’s senior commodity wood manager, told Hardlines at the Montreal event. “Gagnon is very well known.”

“It’s been all positive for our dealers,” said Suzanne Walsh, director of business development at Sexton. “It’s pretty much cemented us in the province of Quebec and that’s just what we need.”

For Sexton’s existing Quebec members, she explained, the new alliance expands their options for local distribution and introduces them to new vendors, who in turn will enjoy access to a wider base of dealer customers.

Gagnon, for her part, expressed optimism about the collaboration. “The future will show us where this journey leads.”

BRIEFLY

COSTCO PLANS NEW STORE IN WINNIPEG

Costco will open a new location at Winnipeg’s Westport development later this year. Westport is situated in the heart of the largest concentration of sporting and recreational complexes in Manitoba.

CANADIAN TIRE SELLS OFF HELLY HANSEN

Canadian Tire Corp. sold its Helly Hansen activewear brand to Kontoor Brands Inc. The deal was valued at nearly $1.3 billion. Kontoor, based in North Carolina, is the parent of the Lee, Wrangler, and Rock & Republic denim brands. CTC will use proceeds from the sale to invest in its retail store network, as well as for debt repayments and share buybacks.

WALMART CANADA INVESTS BIG IN NEW STORES

Walmart Canada will make a $6.5 billion investment over the next five years as the company plans to further accelerate growth in Canada. The retailer will open five new Supercentres in Ontario and Alberta by 2027.

GRAINGER ENJOYS YEAR-END SALES LIFT

W.W. Grainger reported Q4 sales of US$4.2 billion, an increase of 5.9 percent from a year earlier. Net earnings rose 20.3 percent to $475 million. For the full fiscal year, sales of US$17.2 billion were up 4.2 percent compared to 2023, while earnings increased by 4.4 percent to US$1.9 billion.

ORGILL’S SPRING MARKET DRAWS CANADIANS TO SHOP DEALS, SERVICES

housands of retailers—including hundreds of Canadian dealers— gathered in New Orleans earlier this year for Orgill’s 2025 Dealer Market. The three-day show featured nearly one million square feet of products, special buys, and deals from vendors and service providers.

The show ran concurrently with a digital buying forum, Orgill’s Spring Buying Event, through an online platform at Orgill.com. The online buying event is one of four seasonal online events Orgill holds throughout the year.

A big focus was on providing value for Orgill’s dealer customers with pricing and promotions available only at the show. The

company also saw an increase in interest for its private-label brands.

The three-day show featured nearly one million square feet of products, special buys, and deals from vendors and service providers.

At the end of day one at the show, Hardlines held its annual Canada Night reception for Canadian dealers who were in attendance. The event drew more than 250 dealers from every part of Canada, along with Orgill’s Canadian reps and sponsoring vendors.

The evening was highlighted by an open bar, great food, and a rousing rendition of “O Canada” sung by everyone in both

CANAC REVEALS PLANS FOR ITS LARGEST STORE EVER, NEAR MONTREAL

From

Quebec home improvement chain Canac has unveiled plans for its 36th and largest-ever store. It’s also the family-owned business’s first in Laval, Quebec’s third-largest city, on the north shore of Montreal. The store is scheduled to open in January 2026.

The store will occupy a 45,000-square-

foot property—a 30,000-square-foot sales area, a 12-000-square-foot garden centre, a 41,500-square-foot covered warehouse, an outdoor lumber yard of more than 83,000 square feet, and 250 parking spaces.

Marketing director Patrick Delisle said that Canac has poured “a lot of love and energy”

official Canadian languages. To top it off, the Canada-U.S. hockey game was on the TV, which Canada won in nail-biting overtime— making it a truly Canadian event.

into creating a store environment that appeals to customers. Its focus is on highquality, Quebec-made products, rather than on providing an exhaustive selection.

With the new opening, Canac, which already has locations on Montreal’s south shore, will begin to encircle the Island of Montreal itself. CEO Martin Gamache explained to Hardlines that an entry into the island itself, with its higher density, would require the company to adapt its traditional large-surface format.

“The Island of Montreal is more complex for us because we have to develop an urban store concept. Our current urban store concept is not ready for Montreal. Maybe, eventually— perhaps something on two levels—but we’re not there yet.”

The retailer also doesn’t rely on sales and promotions in favour of an everyday-low-price model. While other retailers go all in on events like Vendredi fou (Black Friday, literally “Crazy Friday”), Delisle boasted that “our prices are ridiculous every day, on everything!”

left to right: Christopher Skeete, Quebec minister for the economy; Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer; Canac director-general Martin Gamache; marketing director Patrick Delisle; Charles Laberge, senior development and construction manager; and Daniel Châtelain, commercial development project manager.

BY GEOFF M c LARNEY

PASSING THE BATON: THE HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SUCCESSION PLANS

Succession planning is a real-time concern for independent home improvement retailers, many of which are family businesses. HHIQ gets the scoop on how three of them navigated the transition.

Talk to other folks: the accountants, the bank, to make those plans, because those things don’t happen overnight. It gives you a solid plan to work towards, for both the incoming owner and the seller.

hat are the ingredients for a good transition of the ownership of a small business? Communication, planning, and breadth of experience are among the factors that third- and fourthgeneration dealer-owners identify as contributing to their successful handovers.

Marianne and Mathieu Moisan are first cousins and partners at BMR Paulin Moisan, which was founded by their grandparents. It is located in Saint-Raymond, Que. The pair assumed ownership of the business in April 2021. They took the Young Retailer of the Year category at the 2022 Outstanding Retailer Awards (ORAs), held during that year’s Hardlines Conference in Niagara-onthe-Lake, Ont.

“We both started working here very young,” Marianne explained, and they knew by the time they entered their 20s that they wanted to take over the business. But the family—their respective fathers were both a part of the second generation—wouldn’t consider them for permanent positions until they had first worked elsewhere.

“It’s kind of fun to go and look elsewhere, to go and try other things,” she reflects. “And if it ends up being a return to hardware, it’s because you have a real desire to take over.”

Amanda Fancy is dealer-owner of Gow’s Home Hardware in Bridgewater, N.S., a charter member of Home Hardware since 1964. Her cousin and co-owner Julie Gow runs the furniture department. The store

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1989, when he himself took over from his father Frank. Walter, Frank’s father, had in turn brought the business into the family in 1929, when he purchased it from its founder, Richard Dawson.

Fancy grew up in the store and saw herself working there in the long term. “I had a passion for it, and it was something that I thought about a lot in terms of a career path.”

“In the world that we live in now, communication is such a big thing. Peter and I have a great relationship. We’re of the vintage where the unspoken is sometimes okay, but everyone’s communication style is different; the world has changed.”

It’s kind of fun to go and look elsewhere, to go and try other things. And if it ends up being a return to hardware, it’s because you have a real desire to take over. “ ”

traces its origins to 1848 and claims to be the oldest hardware store in what is now Canada. In 2017, Hardlines named it the Best Hardware Store at the ORAs.

Fancy took over in 2012 from her uncle, Peter Gow, who had been at the helm since

Don Clement’s family has been in the lumber and building materials business since the late 19th century. “When I joined the family business two decades ago, it didn’t take long for me to comprehend the deep-rooted passion my father, grandfather,

and generations before them had for this industry,” he says.

His parents, Tom and Karen Clement, acquired Mission Building Supplies in 1985. Then located in St. Albert, Alta., it had grown from its origins as a small retail store. In 1990, they made the decision to relocate to Edmonton and focus exclusively on the contractor business, and it has since evolved into one of the city’s leading contractor yards.

Don Clement joined his parents in the business in 2004. Eventually, Tom and Karen passed the baton to him, transitioning into retirement between 2019 and 2022. He now co-owns it with his wife, Nicole. Together, they accepted the ORA for Best Contractor Specialist last fall at the 2024 Hardlines Conference in Quebec’s Charlevoix region. Unlike Fancy and the Moisans, who took the helm of existing family businesses, the Clements acquired theirs from Al Pitchko, who remains, in Don’s words “a worthy competitor” at his neighbouring Mr. Plywood store.

Three generations of BMR Paulin Moisan: Denis, Marianne, Bernard, Sophie, Paulin, Francois, Lise, and Mathieu.

“Being a part of Sexton Group has signi cantly elevated our business. Even though they have over 450 members across Canada, we always feel heard and valued as if we are part of the Sexton family. Their powerful network of members across the country has been invaluable, providing us with insights and connections that have helped us grow. They excel at connecting suppliers with members, ensuring we have access to the best products at the most competitive prices. We couldn’t be more pleased with our partnership.

Markus Lange, EG Penner Building Centre

Still, there was a family connection— Pitchko got his start in the industry when Don’s grandfather, Tom Clement Sr., hired him at Canfor Lumber. Don’s father, Tom Jr., also cut his teeth working for his father at Westwood Forest Products in Edmonton.

In Edmonton, Don has built on his parents’ legacy, following in Tom Jr.’s footsteps as a member of Castle Building Centres Group’s board of directors, and in Karen’s by getting involved as a volunteer in amateur sport.

In 2023, he expanded the business with the purchase of Edmonton Roof Truss.

For their part, the Moisans both pursued internships outside the family business, “precisely to follow the family rule,” as Marianne says.

“Initially, I left for two years, with a view to returning to the business. In the end, I was gone for nine.”

Mathieu also followed a circuitous path. After secondary school, he started working full-time in the store. “I still wasn’t sure. I went to do another course, and did work placements in that course, working in this

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field, and it was after that I realized that this was the place for me and this is where I’m putting myself. So it took a couple of times coming and going to be sure that it really was the right place.”

she was covering returned from maternity leave. “I was kind of like, what do I do? I guess my time is over.”

That was not to be. Instead, “I transitioned to a new role. I started taking on some of

It was kind of surreal to be given the opportunity to do something like that, but I had worked in the business for a while, and everyone wants to make a mark. “ ”

While it didn’t rise to the level of dogma in her family, Amanda Fancy also agrees with the benefits of gaining outside experience. “I always think it’s good to go out. I went to school.” Like Marianne Moisan, she went into accounting, taking a post in Halifax. “Living in the city, I had the opportunity to return to the store and take a maternity leave position at the store in the office.”

Peter Gow, she says, made the offer as a way of getting her foot back in the door. But eventually, as expected, the employee

the extra things that were new to us or that weren’t being done, started learning about the store on the operational side of things.”

Some of those new tasks dovetailed with the assistant manager’s domain. When he relocated to another province, it was a natural transition: “I took his job next to the manager’s office. Peter was an excellent teacher.”

When, at the end of one weekday, he told Fancy, “I’m thinking of stepping back,” it was the first time they’d broached the subject. But, she says, it would not have come out of nowhere. “He’s not reactive. He certainly didn’t jump to anything,” she reflects, noting that his motto was “Always talk to your pillow first.”

“It was kind of surreal to be given the opportunity to do something like that, but I had worked in the business for a while, and everyone wants to make a mark. And knowing that I had Peter’s support, I was ready to make Home Hardware my career.”

At BMR Paulin Moisan, both Marianne and Mathieu eventually returned to the fold as well. They appreciate the wisdom of the family rule that took them away from the business for a time, and the experience it allowed them to gain.

Amanda Fancy is dealer-owner of Gow’s Home Hardware in Bridgewater, N.S., a charter member of Home Hardware since 1964.

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“

ere have been perhaps some people who have had regrets,” Marianne re ects, “of not having seen anything other than working in the family business, because it was understood that instead of going to school they would work there, and nobody ever questioned whether they would work elsewhere at some point.”

Mathieu, too, underscores the value of taking time. “I would have liked to have undertaken a more substantial training in management. Once you’re in the business, it’s harder to go take a course.”

Marianne put her accounting training to good use, while Mathieu’s studies in sales and construction design stood him in similarly good stead.

e Moisans stress the importance of banner support for managing succession.

BMR Group operates a program called Le Relais de BMR (“the BMR Relay”) in partnership with HEC, the University of Montreal’s school of higher business

BMR Paulin Moisan, Saint-Raymond, Que.

studies. It allowed them to upgrade their skills in preparation for their leadership roles in the family rm.

What makes for a successful ownership transition? For Amanda, planning ahead is the key. “Talk to other folks: the accountants, the bank, to make those plans, because those things don’t happen overnight. It gives you a solid plan to work towards, for both the incoming owner and the seller.”

For the latter, she adds, it allows them “to feel good about what they’ve le behind.”

Where a relative seems like a potential

candidate to assume responsibility, family conversations should happen earlier rather than later, because inevitably “there will be potholes” in the process.

“If you have a good relationship and you want to learn, the sooner you can have this conversation the better, because it’s never too soon to plan. ere are so many business challenges nowadays that for someone coming in, you want to give yourself every advantage.”

“ ose years of transition went so quickly. It was an exciting time,” she says.

If you have a good relationship and you want to learn, the sooner you can have this conversation the better. “ ”

Gow’s Home Hardware in Bridgewater, N.S.

BY REBECCA DUMAIS

KEEPING THE

Complacency has no business at E.G Penner. Not if Markus Lange has anything to say about it

Asimple shopping trip to E.G. Penner charted the course of Markus Lange’s career. Lange, his wife, and four children came to Canada in June 2013, leaving behind his birthplace of Germany. His parents had moved to Giroux, Man., in 2005, and a er several visits to the province, experiencing the various seasons, he and his family felt comfortable and saw a future here. ey moved to La Broquerie, three miles east of Steinbach, Man., where E.G. Penner is located. “My plan was not to work for about a year, just to learn the language, culture. I was too busy,” he says.

e career he le behind in Germany was with OBI Baumarkt, one of Europe’s largest big box home improvement chains. He worked there for three years. “I was the youngest store manager they ever had at 27 years old.” Yet, it took time away from his family.

When he walked into E.G. Penner not one month later to buy a replacement window crank, he quickly noticed some German employee surnames. A er peeking into one o ce, he shied away. It was too soon; he was too new to Canada. “And my English was very bad.” Yet, he went back and asked if the employee was German. “So we chatted about where he was from, where I’m from.”

Photos: Brian Rudolf

VICE-PRESIDENT, SALES AND OPERATIONS

Markus Lange

E.G. Penner Building Centre Steinbach, Manitoba

MARKUS LANGE

E.G. Penner won an Outstanding Retailer Award (ORA) in the category of Best Large Surface Retailer at the 2024 Hardlines Conference, held last October in Charlevoix, Que.

Lange received an invitation to work at the store almost then and there. “Because I explained what I’d done in Germany, being a store manager for a home improvement store,” he says. Yet he declined.

Even without having left the store, he was approached by another staff member and had a spur of the moment job interview. It couldn’t hurt, he thought to himself. Since he had been taking English lessons, he happened to have a practice resumé in his car, but the document’s simplicity didn’t promote his skills quite the way he would have liked. “Right away, they offered me a job as a truck driver.” However, it wasn’t a position in which Lange felt suitable. “Because my English wasn’t good, I could not really explain what I did. I just said I worked at a lumberyard [and] a building centre.

Then, a different job was put on the table: sales at the main service desk. With some hesitation—and clever prompting from his wife (who pointed out what a great opportunity it would be to learn English—and get paid), Lange accepted, and immersed himself into an unfamiliar role, using a new system, and learning a second language. He sought out the store manager

with his concerns. “‘You should stay. Believe me, you should stay’,” he recalls being told.

Thanks to some good sales numbers he began to be noticed, and had an opportunity to share his ideas for the store. “And next thing, you know, we went through some restructuring and, I ended up in the position that I’m in today.” After his years of

MARKUS LANGE

E.G. Penner prides itself on offering more than just the typical large retailer experience. There are “experts in every department,” their ORA application said.

dedication, Lange is vice-president of sales and operations.

In addition to training, once a year E.G. Penner holds leadership meetings among department leads, Lange, and owner, Linda Penner. It’s an opportunity for getting an overview of their department and express any concerns or new ideas they may have for the business.

It’s also a known fact that E.G. Penner retains employees for many years. Lange says one employee will be celebrating 55 years this year.

Lange has been working at the store for 12 years. “It was just kind of meant to be,” he says of his chance encounter with the German employee, who still works there.

Lange is confident his role has helped the store modernize its selections and product categories, expanding product selection and setup. When he began working there, the store didn’t sell patio furniture. “Now we have a huge selection of patio furniture.”

The difference Lange noticed between retail space in Canada and Germany was remarkable, he says. “Space was very expensive, land very expensive in Germany. There’s a lot of space here,” he says, referring to the store’s large surface. “Germany itself is about a third of the size

of Manitoba. In the bigger cities, everything is super expensive. The store that I worked for had a small parking lot in front and the rest was on top of the store, like a parkade.”

E.G. Penner won an Outstanding Retailer Award (ORA) at the 2024 Hardlines

Conference, held last October, in the category of Best Large Surface Retailer. At one time contractors made up 60 percent of E.G. Penner’s customers, although now it’s down to 35 percent. “This has not changed because our contractor numbers have gone down—but because our

consumer sales numbers have gone up exponentially. With our renovations and new showroom space—consumers are more interested than ever. Our space provides them somewhere to get inspired with ideas and get a diverse range of quality products,” said the ORA application.

E.G. Penner doesn’t have a mission statement per se, although it stands behind the statement on the front of the store itself: “Penner people help you build it better, and that’s a promise.”

The store operates on a shared philosophy that revolves around some core pillars:

not equal perfection. There are always ways to improve, which is why we welcome and listen to feedback from our team and our customers,” stated the application.

In a town with a small population (approximately 17,000) Lange reiterates the reason for avoiding complacency. “You

There’s integrity and putting relationships foremost and striving for excellence. “ ”

never be complacent, treat employees with integrity, put relationships at the forefront, and to strive for excellence. The owners don’t take its position in the market for granted. “We know that our success does

know, it [is] easy to forget about those loyal customers.” It can be too easy to lose the connection to some customers simply because the store is the largest one-stop shop around. “That’s why we came up with

the statement, never be complacent. And that’s something we say to all of our employees: just stay connected with everyone, like the contractor and the retail customer that walks through the door. And obviously, there’s integrity and putting relationships foremost and striving for excellence.”

The store underwent major renovations, beginning in 2019. Future plans for the store include relocating the dispatch departments nearer to the loading docks, and building new offices. “There’s there almost always something happening … making it better now for customers. Moving some things around and just staying on top of trends, keeping everything up to date.”

Across all 15 departments, there are 190 full-time and 30 part-time staff ready to

help. “When you set foot in our store, you are entering the one-stop shop for home improvement,” stated the ORA application. “You can do everything from dra plans with our design team to pick out nishing touches such as light xtures—and when you are ready to install it, you can use one of our trusted installers on sta for cabinetry, ooring, blinds, HVAC and mechanical services. at is the biggest value that E.G. Penner has to o er. We make things easy for our customers. When you leave E.G. Penner, you will leave with what you need, and even what you didn’t know you needed.”

In Lange’s case all those years ago, he did leave with what he needed: a small window crank, and something he didn’t think he needed: a career.

Insulfloor becomes

Comfort matters

Markus Lange has been with E.G. Penner for 12 years and is now vice-president of sales and operations.

BY STEVE PAYNE

FOR HIRING AND FIRING 10 TIPS

We interviewed an employment relations expert at Peninsula Canada, a leading HR firm, about saying hello to new employees—and saying goodbye to existing staff

There are legislative requirements as well as “best practices” for hiring and firing. This article, put together with the help of Olivia Cicchini, an employment relations expert at Peninsula Canada, looks at both. Since employment law is either federal or provincial in Canada, check the legislation in your particular location.

1.

DO USE HUMAN RIGHTS LANGUAGE IN YOUR WANT ADS

One of the most common errors that employers make in hiring is to neglect human rights obligations in their want ads. The term that is often used is “legally compliant job ads.” Ontario, for example, passed legislation in 2024 stating that employers cannot ask for “Canadian experience” in want ads. In general, ads should say that the employer welcomes applicants from all backgrounds, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, etc.

“A lot of employers don’t even know that their human rights obligations to their future employees, to applicants, starts right when you post a job ad. Some employers think that their human rights obligations don’t kick in until they hire someone,”

Cicchini said. “But applicants want to know that their potential employer is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.”

2.

DON’T ASK FORBIDDEN QUESTIONS IN INTERVIEWS

Cicchini offers similar advice to employers in interviews. “Of course, you can’t ask someone about their marital status, about their family status, about their sexual orientation, things like that,” Cicchini said. “But there’s also some sneakier questions that most people would think you can ask, but you can’t. Even asking a candidate when they graduated from university could be an inappropriate question because it could come back to their age. And then you could have an ageism issue.”

Savvy employers will measure the propriety of the interview questions they ask, making sure they’re compliant with human rights legislation and provincial laws.

3.

DO HAVE AN INTERVIEW PANEL AND EVALUATION RUBRIC

“I like to encourage employers to have a panel of interviews, even if it’s just three people doing the interviews instead of one,”

Even asking a candidate when they graduated from university could be an inappropriate question because it could come back to their age. “ ”

Olivia

Cicchini is an employment relations expert at Peninsula Canada, which guides employers through health & safety management, legal assistance, smart software support, and more.

Cicchini said. “Because then you have more diverse viewpoints. Because everyone has a bit of bias, unconsciously. When you have two other people with you, it can help check that bias. We’re all human.”

“If you have a diverse panel, then it can really open your eyes to different applicants that maybe you wouldn’t have chosen, but are actually the best fit for the job.”

“I would also encourage employers to use evaluation rubrics—having a sheet in front of you that has all of the interview questions and where you can write down the answers. Because if you’re interviewing someone that you have a lot in common with, you’re going to go off topic and maybe talk about common experiences. And then you’re not actually assessing their qualification for the role.”

4.

DON’T FORGET THE ONBOARDING PROCESS

The time to start training for a retail position on the floor is before an employer goes

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out there. There are a number of simple courses that are offered at a provincial level. Cicchini outlined some of them. Safety training in this industry includes workplace hazardous materials and working at heights. But workplace violence and harassment training should not be neglected, either. Neither should accessibility training for customers and staff with disabilities.

Cicchini said that, beyond technical knowledge, instilling a company culture is very important. “Make sure that they have a person to touch base with if they have questions. It makes them feel more comfortable in the role.”

5.

DO USE A WRITTEN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Written employment contracts are not legally mandated everywhere, but they are definitely important to have. “I tell every

employer that contracts work for you—they save you money!” Cicchini said. “They save you time. They mitigate your legal risk. They are so important to have.”

is going to be, pay periods and pay day, employer contact information, etc.

“If you have to do this anyway, you might as well just put a contract in place because

I tell every employer that contracts work for you—they save you money! “ ”

If you don’t have a written contract, you still have a contract—but a verbal one. And verbal agreements can get messy when it comes to termination, allegations of wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal, and other legal issues.

In Ontario, Cicchini said there is actually new legislation coming into play in July 2025, where employers with more than 25 employees will be legally mandated to provide written employment statements before the new hire’s first day of work.

This basic document would have information like place of work, what the pay

that little sheet of paper that’s mandated isn’t going to protect you,” Cicchini said. Federally regulated workplaces already have written employment statements that are mandatory.

6.

DON’T FORGET AN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK

Finally, no hiring would be complete without providing a new hire with an employee handbook. It would ideally contain all your day-to-day policies for employees, including hours of work, sick day policy, dress codes, overtime policy, vacation rules, drug and alcohol policy, mobile phone useage on the job, social media policy, and so on.

“It’s going to have all of your company policies in it. You can introduce the handbook during your onboarding,” Cicchini said. She added that, for Peninsula clients, the company can produce an employee handbook for their use.

7.

WHEN FIRING, DO PROVIDE THE TERMINATION NOTICE IN WRITING

“When we fire someone, we have to provide them with a termination letter,” Cicchini

said. “You can’t just verbally tell someone ‘You’re done, don’t come back!’”

The Employment Standards Act, in Ontario, outlines the following minimum notice periods: Less than one year of employment, one week of notice. One to two years of employment, two weeks of notice. More than two years of employment, one additional week per year of service, up to a maximum of eight weeks. Paying the terminated employee their pay in lieu of the notice periods above, is legal.

“If they don’t have an employment contract or they do have one and the termination clause is invalid, then they will be eligible to get common law notice at termination, which is more,” Cicchini pointed out.

WHEN FIRING, DO NOT FORGET TO GET YOUR COMPANY EQUIPMENT BACK

This can include company laptops, cellphones, whatever it may be. “But if it’s

you let them go, because you might never see it again.”

WHEN FIRING, DO HAVE A WITNESS

Whoever is doing the firing—the owner or the manager or the supervisor—it’s recommended to have a witness present who is an unbiased third party, Cicchini said. “Typically, we suggest that this be the in-house HR person that sits with them during the meeting. This can help make sure that nothing gets escalated. And this person can take notes and prepare to confirm details in case, after the termination meeting, the employee says one thing and the employer says something else.”

10.

DON’T BE INCONSISTENT ON ESCORTING PEOPLE OUT

“Generally, escorting people out is up to the employer. But it should be consistent. If I fire Tanya tomorrow and I don’t escort her out, it’s inconsistent if I fire Tony the next day and do escort him out. If we’re going to walk people out, go with them to their desk to get

You have to make sure that you’re getting that company property back from the employee before you let them go, because you might never see it again. “ ”

construction-related, maybe it’s tools, maybe it’s supplies. You have to make sure that you’re getting that company property back from the employee before

their belongings. We should be doing that for everyone.” And expect the unexpected, Cicchini cautioned. “You never know what’s going to happen after the meeting.”

Savvy employers will measure the propriety of the interview questions they ask, making sure they’re compliant with human rights legislation and provincial laws.

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BY REBECCA DUMAIS

WRLA 2025 SUPPLY-BUILD CANADA BUILDING & HARDWARE SHOWCASE

The long-running association hosted its two-day show in Edmonton, Alta., early in the New Year while also revealing its rebrand and new name: Supply-Build Canada

Hardlines was at the recent SupplyBuild Canada Showcase, held January 23 to 24 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. On the second day of the show, the organization revealed its new rebrand to Supply-Build Canada, from the Western Retail Lumber Association.

The 2025 Building & Hardware Showcase brought over 880 dealers, more than 200 exhibitors, and 2,000-plus delegates together for two days of peer connections and gaining product knowledge. The association also hosted a Habitat for Humanity Canada fundraiser (which brought in $40,000), and offered four business courses and two keynote speakers.

“We’ve seen some growth,” said SupplyBuild president Liz Kovach. “From the time that I’ve started to where we are now, every year we’ve been able to grow the event.”

Supply-Build Canada (formerly the Western Retail Lumber Association) Building & Hardware Showcase.

It’s been the biggest show in her tenure to date. “Actually, it might even be the biggest from a vendor perspective. We had a wait list. We sold out.”

Landing on Supply-Build Canada as the association’s new name was in part to summarize what it does and whom it serves. “I found the amount of time it took to explain to government, to educators, and even my family; they didn’t understand ‘Western Retail Lumber Association.’ So, one of the biggest challenges we found, was when we were meeting with government to represent the industry, they had a really tough time wrapping their heads around what we do.”

WRLA didn’t quite reflect the membership itself, Kovach also noted. There are many members from out East. “We keep pigeonholing us as West. And the West is important. We’re never going to abandon that, but we are broader than just Western. We’re broader than retail. I mean, look at the products here,” she said, indicating the range of products and services on display at the recent showcase. “We’ve got manufacturers here, as well. And then we’re broader than lumber. Everything that goes into a house is on this show floor somewhere.”

Supply-Build Canada was a good capture of what members do, “because our members supply and they build the country. And you look at a lot of the manufacturing that’s happening out West, a good portion of the lumber that’s being used across the country is coming from B.C. and Alberta. We’ve got manufacturers who are out West for different products, and they’re shipping all their products out East as well. And sure, they’ve got an eastern representation. So, that captured us the best.”

The trade association is the turning 135 this year. It will be hosting an event immediately following the 2025 Hardlines Conference, October 21 to 22 this year, held at the Fairmont Banff Springs, in Banff, Alta.

John Fluke and Matthew Sanders of TIMBER MART.

Stephanie Kainz, King Marketing, and Niki Duncan, Dupont.

Alisa Luo, Supply-Build Canada.

Simon Gouin of BMR.

Joe Jacklin, Regal ideas Inc.

From left to right: Toby Hanly, Graham Cox, Serjay Tulivskyy, Jessica Bender, Pierre-William Gagne, and Jessica Brandstorm of Vicwest.

Hany Ibrahim and Mina Shamsoun of Webelocity.

Liz Kovach, president of Supply-Build Canada and Rebecca Dumais, editor of HHIQ.

From left to right: Colin Philips, Eric Peloquin, Scott Campbell, and Warren Killeen of Gentek.

•

2025 OUTSTANDING RETAILER AWARDS

—Barry Eidt, ORA Winner BMR, Mitchell, Exeter, Arthur, Ontario

NAVIGATING CHALLENGES WITH RESILIENCE

Steve Buckle CEO of Sexton Family of Companies

Steve Buckle, CEO of Sexton Family of Companies, looks at his company’s point of view for 2025 when it comes to tariffs, as well as Sexton’s outlook—and the broader retail landscape.

Buckle’s take on the threat of tariffs on Canadian imports are that President Trump’s statements have raised significant concerns and uncertainties about the future of the Canadian economy.

“The feeling of uncertainty is real, and we share in the concern among many others,” says Buckle. “Our outlook as a company is that it’s our responsibility to effectively manage economic disruption of any kind. Our commitment is to navigate these challenges with resilience, relying on clear communication and proactive information

gathering. Throughout our long-standing history, we have seen numerous significant economic events, and we have weathered them successfully. While we acknowledge the potential obstacles before us, we are confident in our ability to manage these challenges with the same expertise and adaptability that has ensured our success in the past.”

On a secondary level, Sexton’s business outlook for 2025, and the retail landscape, is strong.

“Our Sexton members are the independent Canadian-owned and -operated retailers across our country and in 2025, we will continue to support them to be strong in their local markets. This commitment means being in frequent discussion with our vendors and gathering the most accurate and

IN A GOOD SPOT FOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESS

Ken Jenkins President and CEO of Castle Building Centres Group

Ken Jenkins, president and CEO of Castle Building Centres Group, had two messages when we interviewed him early in the New Year about the prospects for his dealers in 2025. On the first issue we asked him about— President Trump’s threat of tariffs on Canadian imports—Jenkins said that the

Steve Buckle says it’s his company’s responsibility to effectively manage economic disruption of any kind.

up-to-date information as quickly as possible. With or without the threat of tariffs, we make a promise to work hard in understanding the state of our markets in the name of seeing our members succeed.”

industry is taking a “wait and see” position. “What I would suggest to you, from our supply chain, is complete uncertainty. I can’t find any continuity on how they see

Ken Jenkins, president and CEO of Castle Building Centres Group, says “there definitely is a succession-related issue within the GSD segment in Canada.”

this being disruptive within their businesses. You’ve got intercompany transfers that go back and forth across the border in our industry. You’ve got procurement of some products on one side of the border— and finishing of those products on the other side of the boarder. I can’t get any general consensus from the people I speak to within the manufacturing and supply segments.”

On the prospects for Castle signing important dealers, as the buying group did when it announced Groupe Beauchesne had joined Castle in January, he was very positive.

“There definitely is a succession-related issue within the GSD segment in Canada,” Jenkins said. “And I see that as being one of the pivot points over the

COMPETITIVELY PRICED PRODUCTS A KEY MANDATE

Boyden Moore President & CEO, Orgill, Inc.

During the Orgill Spring Market, held in February in New Orleans, CEO Boyden Moore shared his thoughts with Hardlines about the growing difficulties of doing business across the border, including the threat of tariffs— which have now become a reality—and the weakness of the Canadian dollar versus its America counterpart.

Boyden notes that the latter “has been growing as an issue,” despite Orgill’s ongoing moves buying futures in currency to hedge against price fluctuations. “It’s a challenge. It’s something that makes it harder for us to be profitable in Canada. But it doesn’t change our commitment, what we’re doing in Canada—so we’re working through it.”

constantly assessing how we could mitigate those risks, but we’re hoping that it subsides sooner than later.”

Offering competitively priced products is a key mandate for Orgill. “Generally, we want to be able to bring competitive products to our customers at the lowest prices, and if we can’t do that, it makes it hard for us to be successful. But we’re committed to find ways to do that.”

One way is by responding to customers’ desire for more bang for their buck. “We’ve seen a pivot to value, so the more you can promote and deliver value, the more successful you’ll be.”

That includes more focus on Orgill’s own private-label brands. With less disposable income available, especially for

We’ve been outgrowing the industry for a while and we expect to do that this year, as well.

Concern about tariffs “causes a lot of challenges in trying to plan your business and know what’s going on. We’re

lower-income customers, people can’t afford to invest in large home improvements. The value equation is reflected

next two years, where we’re going to see some groups in the commercial segment grow. And we’re going to see some historical groups decline… I think as the deck chairs reset, it would do to pay attention to who has succession issues in their model. Obviously, Castle does. I think we’re in a good spot on the commercial side of the business.”

“across the store,” Moore said. The challenge is to provide a lower-priced alternative in every department. He added that vendors are stepping up to provide valuepriced products, as well.

But the company has seen enormous growth from new customers, including from Canada, with lots of new customers coming down to the show from north of the border. That is expected to drive upwards of 10 percent growth for Orgill this year. “We’ve been outgrowing the industry for a while and we expect to do that this year, as well.”

Boyden Moore, president & CEO, Orgill, Inc., wants to bring competitive products to customers at the lowest prices.

FLE LEADERS’ OUTLOOK

INVESTMENT IN THE GROUP’S SUPPLY CHAIN

Bernie Owens CEO, TIMBER MART

TIMBER

MART president and CEO

Bernie Owens told Hardlines that, despite headwinds, “I actually think 2025 will be a good year.”

Owens added that TIMBER MART has seen success over the past year with its investment in the group’s supply chain. Its distribution centre in Langley, B.C., instituted in 2018, has been helping support the group’s West Coast dealers. The 17,000-square-foot facility has a threeacre yard to support a variety of LBM products. More recently, TIMBER MART added an LBM distribution facility in Winnipeg to serve members in Manitoba,

Saskatchewan, and Northwestern Ontario.

“The Western DC has met and exceeded its budget for 2024,” said Owens. The use of just-in-time delivery helps keep turns high and inventory costs down for dealers, “and we can bring fill-ins, so they don’t have to run out of product.”

The Langley DC also handles some cross-docking, “which helps our dealers and is good for port buys and imports of containers, using spoke-and-hub.”

With a healthy infrastructure and support from vendors, Owens welcomed the positive buzz at the Toronto buying show. “The momentum is there,” he noted,

LEVELING UP IN-STORE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Jason Tasse President and CEO of Lee Valley Tools

Jason Tasse, president and CEO of Lee Valley Tools, is looking ahead to 2025 with positivity. He said the company is continuing to level up its in-store customer experience following two years of research, workshops and diving deep into the customer journey.

“We have measured it against our past performance, the evolving retail landscape, and future direction. Physical retail is strategically important to Lee Valley as a specialty retailer serving hobby/craft enthusiasts. We are proud of our team to have been recognized

by Leger as the number one and number two best in-store experience these past two years. We believe there is no one store of the future design, but rather a practice of continuous improvement and evolution. At the heart of it all is our key success factor—our people,” he said. This better understanding is helping them shape the direction the company moves in as it takes on the “Trump Trade Tornado.”

Tasse noted that civil society, cultural governance, and organizational design principles are built on the foundation of stable policy.

“We have seen an unprecedented,

“despite the headwinds. We will wait and see what happens south of the border. But the independents are a resilient group. We have to get on with being Canadian and doing our business.”

Jason Tasse, president and CEO of Lee Valley Tools, expects challenges in 2025 will be maintaining stability, predictability, and focus.

immediate, and unilateral attack on the stability of trade policy. We can all agree that policies change and should evolve. We

Bernie Owens, CEO, TIMBER MART, saw healthy support from vendors at TIMBER MART’s recent buying show in Toronto.

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appreciate that well-communicated, collaborative, thoughtful policy changes are in everyone’s best interest,” he said, adding that recent months have demonstrated the global levels of mass distraction, tension, and confusion following a flurry of reckless policy change.

He expects the biggest challenge in 2025 will be maintaining stability, predictability, and focus.

To prepare for the unknown, Tasse said the company has taken an honest look at

where it should invest time, energy, and resources this year.

“We reopened our strategic planning commitments to rationalize commitments made pre-January 2025. We recognize that no matter what lies ahead in 2025, we will need to respond—so we pruned our strategic initiatives to ready organizational bandwidth,” he said, and that that Lee Valley Tools has built an organizational capability for high uncertainty. “We remain focused solely on our ability

RURAL COMMUNITIES & PRODUCT AVAILABILITY

Fred Thun President & CEO, UFA Co-operative Limited

red Thun has only been in the role of president and CEO of UFA Co-operative Limited for a few months. The company, which has 110 fuel stations and 34 farm and ranch supply stores, is owned by 120,000 cooperative members.

FHe said, that in the time he has been at the helm of UFA, he has worked with a strong executive leadership team to help develop a unique and hard-to-beat presence in the communities the company serves.

“It would take a new-to-UFA CEO a significant amount of time to realize and leverage the relationship we have with agriculture, energy, and the communities we operate in,” he said adding that the challenges he has experienced to date have been similar to the issues every CEO has encountered in business in 2025.

“Business thrives in an environment of predictability, and 2025 has been anything but predictable to date. Regardless, our customer’s needs haven’t changed, and an important part of my role is ensuring UFA provides great customer service and

quality products regardless of the economic environment.”

He said 2025 has been a volatile environment given the economic uncertainty in the markets and the risk of what may be ahead.

“From the field to the corporate office, we remain focused on product availability, providing expertise and delivering for our customers so they can have a strong 2025,” he said.

Despite these challenges, he said that UFA continues to stay true to the core of its business goals, to support and meet the needs of rural communities.

“Our focus on rural communities is demonstrated through our product and service lines which lean toward the agriculture, energy, and livestock sectors that keep rural communities thriving. We focus on creating customer benefit, providing generational value to our members/owners, and demonstrating tangible impact in the communities we operate in,” he said. “Our profitability stays in the communities that we serve through over

to filter, focus, identify specific areas of impact, and respond swiftly. Adaptiveness is the new agile. Our competitive advantage will be our discipline,” he said.

“We will not waste time speculating or ruminating over the morning news. Our energy will be directed to job protection, cost-containment and the search for seams of opportunity. We will continue to strengthen our core business, and seek growth where there is minimal risk and uncertainty.”

the field to the corporate office.

$1 million of annual direct community investment and our annual patronage payment which has increased each of the past seven years and is now setting records for the amount of cash distributed annually to members. Most of all, our people make us important in the retail landscape. When you go into a UFA location, you’ll have confidence that our staff have great product knowledge and a service mindset. I’m proud of our retail team—they are part of the community and love the people and industries that we serve.”

Fred Thun, president & CEO, UFA Co-operative Limited, says UFA remains focused on product availability, from

ATTENTION DEALERS: HARDLINES NEEDS YOUR HELP!

Scan the QR code below to fill out our annual survey and receive a $20 Tim Hortons gift card. Plus, a chance to win a ticket for the 2025 Hardlines Conference in Banff, Alberta. Hardlines is committed to providing you with the information, connections and support you need to be a strong retailer. But to do that, we need your help. Please take a few minutes to fill out our annual survey. The information we pull from it will enable us to keep you informed about trends in your business. The survey will take no more than 5 minutes—and your input is completely anonymous.

Rules: Dealers and store managers only. One survey application per person. Each applicant receives a $20 Tim Horton’s gift card. One lucky winner receives two nights’ accommodation at Fairmont Banff Springs, one 2025 Hardlines Conference ticket, and one Outstanding Retailer Awards Gala ticket. (Travel and transportation are not included.)

BY STEVE PAYNE

BUSINESS VALUATION 101

Want to sell your lumberyard? First, you have to determine your asking price. And that requires a professional, such as a Chartered Business Valuator.

The fair market price of a lumberyard is very di cult to evaluate. When an owner has worked for decades in a building supply store, they will develop close relationships with their contractor customers—sometimes even going into business with them. e owner might be a central pillar of the community, sitting on town council or having other business interests that intersect with their home improvement interests. ey are enmeshed in the business and the town.

What, then, is the business worth—outside of the owner? It’s sometimes very dicult to determine, says Bill Morrison, former executive at Hudson’s Bay Co., Foot Locker, IKEA, TruServ Canada, and Ace Hardware. Morrison lists a number of di culties with the process of business valuation. “ e reality is that there are so many variables. Each business opportunity is unique.” e journey to determining the market value of your pro yard starts with your accountant, Morrison suggests.

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GETTING PROFESSIONAL HELP

One of the specialties that accountants can hold is being a Chartered Business Valuator— or a CBV, for short. HHIQ spoke to Dr. Christine Sawchuk, who is the CEO of the Toronto-based CBV Institute, which issues the designation. She said that there are just shy of 3,000 CBVs in Canada—and a further 800 students who are training to become a CBV.

Fifteen years ago, Sawchuk says, “95 percent” of CBVs were accountants. “Now that number is about 70 percent.” In recent years, the profession has diversified to include professionals with broader business backgrounds, such as business brokers, engineers, and other types of professional.

Owner-operators who are looking to hire a valuator can use the “Find a CBV” function at cbvinstitute.com. But if you’re looking to sell your pro yard—or any business—Sawchuk recommends getting the process started early.

Succession planning is not something to decide on the spur of the moment. It requires a few years to line up the family goals, the business possibilities, and to find the appropriate buyer.

“I would say three to four years is almost on the low end,” Sawchuk says. “I would encourage people to look more like six to eight years in advance. And there’s a few different reasons for that.”

The reasons include the tendency, particularly in Canada and the U.S., to run personal expenses through private busi-

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get a picture of what the business is actually earning,” Sawchuk said.

“That way you can tell a story to a potential purchaser and they can be assured that they’re looking at clean books—and that they can rely on those numbers.”

“That’s from the accounting side of things, but just as important or more important, who are you selling the business to? Is it an external party? Is it an existing employee

“And how do we train this person, to make sure they can take over the business successfully? How do we transition relationships to this new person? And those are all things that can take years and years.”

MULTIPLES OF EARNINGS

And how do we train this person, to make sure they can take over the business successfully? How do we transition relationships to this new person? And those are all things that can take years and years.

—Dr. Christine Sawchuk, CBV Institute “ ”

nesses. Or have personal assets mixed up with business assets. “And what you want to do is remove all those personal items so you

or an employee group? Are you selling it to someone in your family? Who wants this business?” Sawchuk counsels.

Because publicly-traded corporations change hands with all key metrics of the transactions disclosed, there is a vast publicly-accessible database that shows their market value price in terms of multiples. Most commonly, multiples of EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) are used to calculate—for larger companies—what that enterprise might be worth.

There are also multiples available for Seller’s Discretionary Earnings (SDE), which

Hodgins Building Centre, Wingham, Ont. The store is a member of Castle Building Centres Group.

is more commonly used in the valuations of small- and medium-sized businesses in which the owner also operates the business— like a family-owned lumberyard. SDE is traditionally higher than EBITDA, because the formula for SDE is EBITDA plus the (fair market) compensation paid to the owner, plus any other perks that he is getting out of the business, nancially. ere are also multiples to valuate businesses based on revenues alone (a wildly unreliable approach).

HHIQ interviewed Victoria, B.C.-based Kent Brown, a CBV who is with the national

professional services rm MNP. Brown is a partner with the Valuation and Litigation Support Services group at MNP. He replied to our enquiry about the accuracy of multiples with the reality check that business valuation “is more of a process than a formula.”

in risk. Obviously real estate is going to be a little bit less risky as a long-term play than an operating business,” Brown said.

“One of the key things to evaluating these types of entities is separating the two. So, we would value a business operation and the

Business valuation is more of a process than a formula.

—Kent Brown, MNP “ ”

“Essentially, when a CBV comes in, our job is to determine what the business operations are worth,” Brown said. “If you use a multiple of seller’s discretionary earnings, you’re essentially valuing the job plus the business. One tries to di erentiate the two by adjusting for a market wage for the owner or manager that does the work, because that’s how you di erentiate between a labour value and a business value. And that’s one of the key things, in any valuation: really understanding what you’re selling.”

We also asked Brown to comment on the di erence between the real estate of a pro yard and the business operations of that yard. “When it comes to the business and the real estate, there is a di erence

real estate separately. Even though the company may own both, you need to notionally separate the two.”

“And how you do that is by applying a rental factor to the business operations. So, again, a common overlook by the owner of a business is to say, ‘Oh my real estate’s worth this, and my company produces this much cash ow.’ But they forget they need to deduct o a market rent.”

NORMALIZATION OF EARNINGS

As Sawchuk explained, one of the problems with businesses in Canada and the United States is that it’s tempting to run personal expenses through the business, which could give the buyer a distorted view

Hickey’s TIMBER MART, St. John’s, N.L.

of how the business is performing.

erefore, a “normalization of earnings” process needs to be undertaken.

We asked Omar Chaudry to explain that to us. Chaudry is a CPA, CA, and CBV who is a partner with the Ontario-based accounting rm RLB. Chaudry is based at the RLB o ces in Guelph, Ont., and the rm also has locations in Fergus, Kitchener, Orangeville, and Shelburne, Ont.

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“And that’s what we present to a potential buyer. We say, here’s the actual nancials that were led. But this is an adjusted earnings schedule, which shows how many expenses are in there which, once you buy this company, you’re not going to incur these expenses.”

A complete rebuild of a store or warehouse is not a normal, ongoing expense for a business. “It makes it look like you didn’t

A big part of our job is figuring out normalization of earnings.

—Omar Chaudry, RLB “ ”

“A big part of our job is guring out normalization of earnings,” Chaudry said. “We basically have to go through the books and identify all these types of items (that are personal or unusual),” Chaudry says.

“ ere are expenses that you can argue are business, or you can argue are personal. And you want to get the best tax treatment for that. But when somebody is selling, we normalize the earnings.”

make any money that year,” Chaudry said.

“And you might have a really good year where you might have to do something in a rush for a client. And it’s very high margin. But it’s something you only have once every 10 years. A buyer can’t rely on that happening every year. We have to normalize all that activity.”

ere are also related party transactions. A business owner will have one corporation for

their business, and one corporation where they own the real estate. And one corporation pays rent to the other. e owner can choose to pay as little rent as possible.

“And so now you’re kind of exaggerating the earnings of the business because you’re not paying a fair market rent. So these types of things we have to adjust for as well.”

“We call it recasting—or pro forma nancials—where we say, had this been properly normalized, this is what it would look like.”

ere is no attempt to create a second set of books. “ e goal is to create a scenario where you can say to the new buyer, ‘ is is what you can expect.’”

Home Hardware Building Centre, Fort McMurray, Alta.

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Get a new perspective from industry leaders

Barry Eidt

In this interview with Barry Eidt, we talk to an entrepreneur who was our 2023 Young Retailer of the Year. Barry and his family run three stores in southwestern Ontario that recently joined BMR (January 2025). Barry talks about his happiness with his decision, and how BMR has spared no effort to welcome him into the fold.

Bill Morrison

Last fall, Bill was inducted into the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Hall of Fame. And for good reason! Bill has experienced a lot in the Canadian retail wars, including a stint in New York City. He has led teams at RONA, TruServ, Ace Canada, Ikea Canada, Home Outfitters, and more. Our Rebecca Dumais asked Bill to give his outlook on 2025 in our industry.

Lisa Bergeron

In this episode of What’s In Store, we talk with one of the most knowledgeable experts on Canadian window codes, standards, and energy-efficiency. Lisa Bergeron is director of business development and government affairs for Jeld-Wen. Lisa leads us through the National Building Code, and what’s likely to change in it when its next version appears in 2025.

Marilyne and Sylvain Laferriere

In this podcast, which was published Feb. 26, 2025, we interview the two entrepreneurial individuals who run Victory Building Centre, an independent store in the northern B.C. community of Mackenzie. They talk about the ups and downs of serving their community and detail their new business idea.

Duane and Dave McDonald

Hardlines associate editor, Geo  McLarney, and Hardlines president, Michael McLarney, interview Duane and Dave McDonald, dealer-owners of Callbecks Home Hardware Building Centre in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. They talk about how the family has added a Leon’s Furniture franchise to their Home Hardware store—and how the synergies between them are promising.

The Retail Report Interview

Hardlines’ Retail Report is the only high-level document that calculates the size of the retail home improvement industry in Canada, including estimates of the revenues and number of stores of its Top 20 retail players. In this interview, Geoff McLarney, associate editor of Hardlines, discusses with Michael McLarney, Hardlines president, the highlights of the 2024 version of this unique report.

ENDCAP FLE

BY GEOFF M c LARNEY

ON TOP OF THE WORLD

Isolation and extreme weather make the mining town of Fermont, Quebec, a unique selling environment. This, in turn, also creates a “huge family,” as the local RONA dealer tells HHIQ.

The annual round of seasonal orders familiar to most dealers is of little use when winters last around nine months of the year.

“I ask RONA to send all my winter stock in August to make sure that it’s ready for rst snow in September,” Cindy Vignola explains, “and I receive my shovels and everything.”

“I have to get my summer stock closer to May, because before that, there’s still snow.”

Vignola has managed the RONA store in Fermont, Que., for the better part of two decades. e company town was settled in 1971 by workers at the Mont-Wright Mine.

“Everything goes by the mines,” she explains. When contracts are renewed, locals are inclined to spend more. In the summer, sales slow as many employees to choose to spend their vacations elsewhere.

Like all businesses in Fermont, the RONA store is located in the massive selfcontained structure built into the mountain and known locally as Le Mur (“ e Wall”).

e behemoth also includes the housing units for workers and their families: miners need only leave it to go to work; other residents can spend the entire season inside

Vignola, who also serves as a town councillor. “I’ve got toys. I’ve got moose licences. I’ve got a shing department.”

Conversely, some common hardware items are less popular in Fermont. A standard eight-by-10-foot tarp “doesn’t sell a lot. I sell more 20-by-30-feet.”

I have to be a general store. I’ve got toys. I’ve got moose licences. I’ve got a fishing department.” “

it if they choose. e biggest delay Vignola encounters on her commute is when she has to yield to a crossing ptarmigan.

e unique nature of the community, and the monopoly of its one hardware store, means “I have to be a general store,” says

One challenge is hiring: in a community so closely oriented to the mines, retail salaries can be a comedown for potential recruits. “People want to compare retail to the mine’s salary, and it’s impossible.”

But those who do take the plunge discover

the rewards of belonging to the tight-knit community, as life in the Wall makes for more than a physical proximity. “If something happens to anyone, we are like a huge family.”

Although she doesn’t get visiting reps— the closest they get is Baie-Comeau, over 500 km away—Vignola is unfazed by the terrain: she has geography on her side.

“When people tell us that we’re too far away, I say, ‘I’m sorry but if you look at the map of Quebec, I’m on the top. I’m rst!’”

The store, like all businesses in Fermont, is in the massive self-contained structure built into the mountain. Locally it’s known as Le Mur (“The Wall”).

From left to right: Audrey Coulombe, sales representative, hardware; Marie-Ève Patoine, sales representative, hardware; Marie-Christine Denis, assistant store manager; Cindy Vignola, store manager.

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Transparency [trans·par·en·cy] noun The quality or state of being transparent.

Audited Financial Statements Full Disclosure Every Year!

Member Owned No Corporate Stores

Member-Operated You Make The Business Decisions

Jaana Reinikka

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER BRITISH COLUMBIA & ALBERTA 780-722-1870 | jreinikka@castle.ca Western Canada

George Braun

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER MANITOBA, SASKATCHEWAN, NORTHWEST ONTARIO 204-771-1908 | gbraun@castle.ca

Robert Legault

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER WESTERN & CENTRAL QUÉBEC 514-208-4158 | rlegault@castle.ca Quebec

Richard Hamel

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER EASTERN QUÉBEC & NORTHERN NEW BRUNSWICK 418-520-6244 | rhamel@castle.ca

Profitability You Are A Shareholder

Accountability A Board of Your Peers You Can Trust

Terry Mulock

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER NEW BRUNSWICK, NOVA SCOTIA & PEI 902-471-3985 | tmulock@castle.ca Atlantic

Brian Warr

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

& LABRADOR 709-770-5607 | bwarr@castle.ca

Lillian Diaz

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ONTARIO - SOUTHWEST / CENTRAL 905-757- 4918 | ldiaz@castle.ca Ontario