Pro Dealer Q3 2025

WARR ANTIES 101

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RENTAL EQUIPMENT

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INFLUENCERS

PRO Dealer Q3 2025

THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR LBM DEALERS, GSDS, & SPECIALTY DEALERS SERVING THE HOMEBUILDING & ICI INDUSTRIES

PRO DRIVEN INTERVIEW

HOW SENSO DEVELOPED ITS BUSINESS MODEL Cynthia Prazeres-Mare PRESIDENT SENSO GROUP Toronto

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WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE...

BUT T FORWARD Orgill has been serving the industry for more than 175 years but what’s more important than how long the company has been around is where it is going. For the past three decades, Orgill has been the fastest-growing distributor in the industry and today, the company continues to invest in enhancing its products, programs and services to continue this legacy of growth.

Find out why thousands of retailers trust Orgill as their partner of choice by visiting Orgill.ca/opportunity.

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Tailored Solutions, Unlimited Potential

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MASTHEAD

PRO Dealer EDITORIAL

THIRD QUARTER/2025 // VOLUME 2, NO. 3 2060 Lakeshore Road, Suite 702, Burlington, ON L7R 0G2 • 905-330-3061 @Hardlinesnews • www.hardlines.ca

ADVERTISING/ADMINISTRATION

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

VICE-PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

Michelle Chouinard-Kenney

Steve Payne steve@hardlines.ca

David Chestnut david@hardlines.ca

GIBSON BUILDING SUPPLIES

FEATURES EDITOR

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Brian Lavigne

Geoff McLarney geoff @hardlines.ca

Shannon MacLeod shannon@hardlines.ca

EDDY GROUP TIMBER MART

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

SENIOR MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER

Luc Léger

Rebecca Dumais rebecca@hardlines.ca

Michelle Porter michelle@hardlines.ca

ELMWOOD GROUP HOME HARDWARE

Sarah McGoldrick sarah@hardlines.ca

CLIENT SERVICES MANAGER

Jillian MacLeod jillian@hardlines.ca

CONTRIBUTOR

John Caulfield

ACCOUNTING

accounting@hardlines.ca ART DIRECTOR

Shawn Samson shawn@twocreative.ca PRESIDENT

Michael McLarney mike@hardlines.ca

Aurora, Ont.

Bathurst, N.B.

Moncton, N.B. Brent Perry ALF CURTIS HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Peterborough, Ont. Gary Sangha CROWN BUILDING SUPPLIES

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NUMBER ONE IN THE HOME IMPROVEMENT INDUSTRY. ONLINE AND PRINT. Hardlines PRO Dealer is just one facet of the Hardlines Information Network. Since 1995, we’ve been delivering the most up-to-date information directly to you online, in print, and in person. Find out how you can get your message out with us. Contact:

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All editorial contents ©2025 by Hardlines Inc. No content may be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.

Shannon MacLeod, Account Manager 905-691-2492 • shannon@hardlines.ca

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“

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CONTENTS

PRO Dealer THIRD QUARTER/2025 // VOLUME 2, NUMBER 3

PAGE 12

10 BIG BOXES AND PROS

NEWS

TO GET THE WORD OUT 18 HOW ABOUT YOUR PRO BUSINESS

EDITORIAL

Home Depot agrees to buy GMS Inc. RONA supports trades with ads

THREE MINUTE READ

20 ENGINEERED WOOD, METAL, AND VINYL PRODUCTS FOR PROS

BMR Pierre Naud acquires five stores Imperial Manufacturing acquires Dundas Jafine Pro drive-throughs the European way

50

VENDOR FORUM

TAIGA’S PRESIDENT TALKS TARIFFS AND THE ECONOMY

64 SEE WHAT’S IN OUR NEXT ISSUE INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

IN AGAIN, 66 BARGING PART TWO THE CHALLENGE

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CONTENTS

32 COVER STORY

PR0 DRIVEN

An interview with Cynthia Prazeres-Mare, the president of Senso Building Supplies, Toronto

WARR ANTIES

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WHEN A PRODUCT GOES WRONG Pro dealers talk about how they try to back their contractor customers when a product failure occurs 8

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42 EQUIPMENT RENTALS SERVICES

52

Pro dealers talk about how they’ve grown their rentals businesses and their margins

MARKETING

PRO INFLUENCERS A chat with three contractor influencers: Danielle Browne, Sasha Kassis, and Shannon Tymosko

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Same high quality.

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FROM THE EDITOR

BIG BOXES AND PROS

BY STEVE PAYNE Editor-in-Chief PRO DEALER steve@hardlines.ca

Home Depot is about to become a contractor giant

Everybody thinks they know all about pros and big boxes.

“Contractors hate them.”

“Pros don’t have the time to shop them.”

“Trades can get better service elsewhere.”

Etcetera.

But Home Depot has succeeded in the pro market in spite of the conventional wisdom. The world’s largest home improvement store sells half of its goods annually to contractors—an estimated US$80 billion worth. And it has made moves recently that have cemented its leadership in selling to builders.

First, Home Depot unveiled the first of its Flatbed Distribution Centers (FDCs) in Dallas in 2020. These behemoths are intended to ship pro jobsites the same day or the next day, especially bulk building materials. Toronto’s first FDC opened last year. Home Depot says it will build a staggering 150 FDCs over time.

Second, Home Depot bought SRS Distribution last year for $18.25 billion.

The acquisition of the McKinney, Texas-based pro wholesaler will propel Home Depot into the ranks of the pro shipping experts—though not in Canada, where SRS does not have any DCs. Third, Home Depot, through its SRS subsidiary, announced its intent to

It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

—Attributed to Mark Twain

buy GMS Inc., one of North America’s largest GSDs, in June of this year. GMS will raise the bar for Home Depot contractor supply in Canada, because GMS Canada is one of the country’s largest pro dealers. It has almost a billion dollars of revenues north of the border and more than 40 points of sale.

Read all about Home Depot’s planned acquisition of GMS on page 12 of this issue. And read about both RONA and Home Depot targeting the contractor market in other ways on page 60.

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PRO Dealer

NEWS

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE PRO INDUSTRY Sign-up for Breaking News at Hardlines.ca

HOME DEPOT AGREES TO BUY GMS INC. The Home Depot, through its SRS Distribution sub-

refl ecting a total equity value of approximately $4.3

sidiary, has agreed to buy GMS Inc., of Tucker, Ga.,

billion and implying a total enterprise value (includ-

one of the largest GSD distributors in North America.

ing net debt) of approximately $5.5 billion. The deal

In this country, GMS is a big player with a Canadian

is expected to be completed by the end of Home

division headquartered in Vaughan, Ont.—and stores

Depot’s 2025 fi scal year (end of January 2026), sub-

across the country. It specializes in pros, with a sig-

ject to regulatory requirements.

nificant business in wallboard and complementary building products.

GMS Canada includes some of the biggest GSD names in the country. The company has on its roster,

Under the terms of what Home Depot calls a

for example, Calgary’s Shoemaker Drywall Supplies;

“merger” agreement, announced on June 30, a

Watson Building Supplies in Vaughan, Ont.; and Yvon

subsidiary of SRS will commence a cash tender offer

Building Supplies based in Burlington, Ont. YBS was

to purchase all outstanding shares of GMS common

acquired by GMS last July for C$195.5 million. It also

stock. The established price is US$110 per share,

has a number of more traditional building centres in its Canadian portfolio, including Slegg Building Materials on Vancouver Island.

On June 18, GMS Inc. reported its revenues for the fi scal year ended April 30. They were US$5.51 billion, an increase of 0.2 percent compared with the previous year. Net income for the year was $115.5 million, a decrease of 58.2 percent.

Immediately after GMS’s tepid profitability numbers were announced, Brad Jacobs’s QXO, a roofing-products distributor, made an unsolicited bid for GMS. Home Depot made a competing offer shortly thereafter. QXO seemingly had no taste for

Blair Building Materials, based in Maple, Ont., is one of GMS Canada’s 40-plus points of sale.

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a bidding war for GMS with the world’s largest home improvement retailer. QXO let its offer for GMS expire June 24.

RONA SUPPORTS PROS WITH ADS IN ONTARIO

This is not the first major acquisition by Home Depot in the pro market. Last June, the Atlantabased firm announced that it had closed the acquisition of SRS Distribution in McKinney, Texas, for a staggering US$18.25 billion. The Home Depot announced that SRS was bringing with it a “total addressable market of $50 billion” consisting of pro roofers, landscapers, and pool contractors. But the purchase of SRS, having no Canadian distribution centres, is unlikely to change the pro game very much in Canada.

The acquisition of GMS is different. It has more than 40 points of sale in Canada. And it is a major player in this country, doing about C$948 million in revenue (Hardlines estimate).

The firm’s 2024 annual report said that Canada represented 12.2 percent of its revenues.

Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in Canada, at a revenue figure of $11.18 billion (Hardlines estimate). Adding GMS’s Canadian sales of $948 million to The Home Depot pie in this country will give it 21.2 percent market share—based on Hardlines’ estimated industry size of $57.32 billion. The number-two player, Home Hardware Stores Ltd., has an estimated 15.1 percent market share.

With this new acquisition, which expands considerably its pro footprint in Canada, Home Depot has opened up a significant lead over its competitors in the contractor market.

This story uses data from the 2025 Hardlines Retail Report.

This incredible piece of research was published on July 25. To obtain your own copy, email Michelle Porter (michelle@hardlines.ca).

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At a time when economic conditions are putting pressure on Canadian companies, RONA inc. launched an initiative to support local businesses that are part of the home improvement industry.

In June and July, the retailer gave away 85 percent of its ad space to nine local trades businesses in Ontario.

The company rolled out the initiative with some nationalistic fanfare, running full-page ads in various newspapers, including The Toronto Star. The ad read, in part: “Dear Canada, for over 85 years, we’ve stood with Canada’s tradespeople. Now it is our turn to give back.” The message then detailed the donation of 85 percent of its media to local trades, “instead of talking about ourselves,” it continued.

“It’s only natural for us to give back when they are facing hardships,” said Catherine Laporte, senior vice-president, marketing and customer experience, at RONA inc. “Earlier this year, we renewed our partnership with Well Made Here to help better showcase Canadian-made products. Now, we are turning our attention to local entrepreneurs, who are instrumental in building thriving communities and a strong Canadian economy.”

The promotion ran in Ontario only, “since it’s been hit the hardest by the recent tariffs due to its standing in international trade with the United States, especially in the automotive and metal sectors,” said Laporte. The selected businesses were in the Greater Toronto Area, Southwestern Ontario, and the Durham region, and saw an ad featuring their name and logo.

“This is just another way for us to stand with the communities that are building this country—one job, one project, one day at a time,” Laporte added.

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NEWS

BMR PIERRE NAUD BUYS FIVE STORES Pierre Naud inc., a pro-oriented BMR

to remaining a local business, ongoing

dealer with six stores already, has

customer service, fast and reliable

expanded its footprint in the Mauricie/

delivery, and a product selection

Centre-du-Québec region with a deal

tailored to all types of projects.

that adds five more locations.

Situated between Montreal and

important step in the growth of our

are in Saint-Grégoire and Gentilly, two

organization,” said Marc-André Lebel,

communities in Bécancour, as well

president of Pierre Naud inc. “By

as Daveluyville, Sainte-Croix, and

expanding our reach in this way, we are

Trois-Rivières.

confident that we will open doors to

family-owned stores active since 1985, is transferring all its stores to Pierre Naud. They will all

new business opportunities with key players in the sectors we serve.”

At the corporate level, BMR regards the latest

operate under the BMR banner. Founded 135 years

addition to its rank as a significant expansion

ago, Pierre Naud inc. has more than 275 employees.

of the BMR name in the Mauricie/Centre-du-

It also owns two door and window manufacturing

Québec region. The group, a subsidiary of Sollio

plants, as well as a wood-processing mill.

Cooperative Group, already has some 275 points

The BMR dealer is obviously experiencing sustained growth, as the team reaffirms its commitment

of sale within its organization, located in Quebec, Ontario, and the Maritimes.

IMPERIAL MANUFACTURING BUYS DUNDAS JAFINE, SELLS DIVISION TO CGC

stone in our 90-year history,” said David Jafine,

Imperial Manufacturing Group (IMG), based in

values and strategic direction as we look towards

Richibucto, N.B., has announced the acquisition of

growing our air distribution offering.” He will remain

Dundas Jafine, another Canadian manufacturer of

with the company over the next six to twelve months

air distribution products.

to ensure a smooth transition to the new ownership.

“This partnership represents a significant milepresident of Dundas Jafine. “We’re excited to join this world-class company that shares our core

Dundas Jafine has locations in Brampton, Ont., and

The current Dundas Jafine management team will

in Alden, N.Y. Established in 1934 by the Jafine family

continue managing and operating the business in

as a feed and seed retail store, Dundas Jafine entered

collaboration with IMG.

the air distribution market in the early 1960s. Since

Meanwhile, gypsum manufacturer CGC Inc. has

then, it has expanded its HVAC product offering.

entered into a definitive agreement for the acqui-

“We are excited to have Dundas Jafine join the IMG

sition of Imperial Building Products Ltd. (IBP), a

group of companies,” said Normand Caissie, IMG

manufacturer of steel framing components, drywall

founder and CEO. “We share similar values and have

trims, accessories and proprietary structural solu-

built strong partnerships with our customers.”

tions. IBP was created as a division of IMG in 1990.

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strategic acquisition, which marks an

Quebec City, the newly acquired stores

Groupe L’Acadien Bricoleur, a group of

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“We are very pleased with this

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NEWS

PRO DRIVE-THROUGHS, THE EUROPEAN WAY How hard can it be to develop an effective LBM

Merlin is located directly across the highway from

drive-through for a store’s back end? It’s a common

this store. This store is a pro store—and a huge one.

enough aspect of many dealers’ offerings. But what

The pro location in Lisbon generated 21 million

if other retailers are doing it better?

Hardlines recently toured some stores in Lisbon,

euros (C$33 million) in sales in 2024 and expects to reach 25 million euros ($39.3 million) this year.

Portugal, as part of the Global DIY-Summit in

It has 52 full-time staff and more than half of

June. Delegates learned about better racking and

them are women. The store works closely with its

endcaps and the wisdom of separating contractor

counterpart across the street to fulfil orders using

business from DIY customers. And they learned

cross-docking and cross-selling to provide custom-

about new tactics for drive-throughs.

ers with whatever they need in one stop.

The store tours event attracted fi ve busloads of

But the drive-through was the area that had dele-

the planet’s most infl uential vendors and retail-

gates snapping pictures and taking notes. The wind-

ers. The delegates included representatives from

ing track allows a car to wind its way through the LBM

European retailers Brico Depot, Leroy Merlin, and

area, pull over and load materials as needed from

a relative newcomer, Obramat.

the various bays. These include plywood and lumber,

Leroy Merlin stores were the second stop—and

drywall, and concrete blocks. When the products are

the third. The retailer is part of Adeo Group, a giant

loaded, the customer’s licence plate number is fed

home improvement retail group which owns a

into the store’s system. When the customer reaches

number of retail home improvement banners. The

the exit, the system uploads the order and they

first store we visited is very DIY-oriented, with clean

can use a self-checkout to pay and exit. It’s a fast

lines and a bright layout that refl ected the best of

and effective system that keeps labour costs—and

Home Depot, RONA+, and IKEA. But another Leroy

customer confusion—to a minimum.

The winding track allows a car to wind its way through the LBM area, pull over, and load materials as needed from the various bays.

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THREE MINUTE READ

Interview by Steve Payne

HOW TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT YOUR PRO BUSINESS

A three-minute interview with PAUL BERTO, who spent 17 years at Home Depot Canada, most recently as director of corporate communications and external affairs Some people think that public relations is not neces-

and why should your customers care? It’s about

sary for a pro dealer. What would you say to that?

local relevance—how do you serve and impact

I’d challenge that assumption. Public relations is not

the community? The key is consistent messaging

about chasing headlines, it’s about trust,

across all your touchpoints, both physical

visibility, and credibility. Your customer,

and digital. I had a mentor of mine say

the contractor, interacts with local news,

you need to say it more than 20 times

follows trade publications, follows influen-

before the message sticks. Don’t forget

cers, and increasingly interacts with brands

about your employees—they are your best

online. When your brand is seen supporting

spokespeople and can make or break your

the community, training apprentices, or

brand. The home improvement category

offering money-saving or time-saving products and services, it reinforces your

PAUL BERTO

value as a partner, not just as a supplier. A good PR

is rich with stories and is a backbone of the Canadian landscape; we have a great

opportunity to tell those stories.

strategy for a dealer makes sure your story is being told in a way that drives business and retention.

What is the role of artificial intelligence in public relations and communications? How will AI change

What are the fundamentals that you would look at

the game over the next 5, 10, and 25 years?

when arriving at a company that wanted to ramp up

AI is already reshaping the landscape. Organiza-

its PR in this industry?

tions are using AI to generate content in an instant,

The PR fundamentals that I look for when ramp-

whether press releases or social posts or website

ing up your storytelling starts with a clear

content. AI is monitoring sentiment for your brand in

narrative— what makes your company diff erent

real-time across multiple platforms. And, in some

“

I had a mentor of mine say you need to say it more than 20 times before the message sticks.”

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cases, it can predict potential PR crises before they happen. AI is being used as a strategic advisor for communication tone, timing, channel deployment, and even creative direction. But there’s a rub: AI shouldn’t replace the human element. Dealers who build emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and real relationships into their communications will break through in a crowded market. Remember, AI is the tool and not the story.

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PRODUCTS FORPROS SAINT-GOBAIN

Davinci Vinyl Siding Panels Davinci Intense Board and Batten vertical vinyl siding panels are designed for exceptional durability and curb appeal. Heavy gauge premium thickness provides outstanding impact resistance.

A full 1/2-inch profile adds a deeper dimension while a low gloss wood grain finish creates a simple and elegant look.

Duratron vinyl technology ensures durability and long-lasting performance. saint-gobain.com

GILLFOR

EWP PRO Advantage Gillfor’s EWP PRO Advantage program supports builders from the ground up.

The program offers resources including special pricing, design support, or technical training built to meet real jobsite needs with real-time support.

Program benefits include special bid and programs pricing, CSD iStruct Software integration, marketing and product support, and fast handling of repairs and warranty issues. gillfor.com

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PINKWOOD

PKjoists

With a focus on efficiency and precision, PinkWood offers top-tier, competitively priced I-joists that meet the demands of modern building projects. PKjoists are built with proprietary-grade fl anges and are available in a range of depths for residential and commercial applications. To protect against moisture-related end-checking and absorption, all PinkWood Ltd. I-joists are shipped with a pink moisture sealer. pinkwood.ca

VICWEST

Bellara Plank Siding Vicwest’s Bellara Plank series, crafted to emulate natural wood, is engineered from steel, and designed to last a lifetime. Colourmatched trim system creates a seamless aesthetic. Available in two gauges, a wide range of woodgrains, and multiple widths that can be installed together, Bellara Plank blends seamlessly to look beautiful for generations. vicwest.com

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PRODUCTS FOR PROS

TANDO COMPOSITES

Beach House Shake Shingles Beach House Shake offers the authentic look of natural cedar shingles without the typical drawbacks like discolouration, mildew, cracking, or cupping.

Made with a proprietary highperformance composite, it’s available in four natural styles including Sandcastle, Pacifica, Hatteras, and Atlantica, to suit a wide range of architectural styles and mixed material designs.

Lightweight and easy to install with no special tools required. tandocomposites.com

JELD-WEN

JWC8500 Vinyl Windows As climate change reshapes the way we live, Canadian homeowners are facing new challenges. These products are energy efficient, lowering reliance on heating and cooling systems, leading to lower energy costs and a reduced environmental impact. Maximizing durability and style, these windows not only enhance the comfort of Canadian homes but also promote environmental responsibility. jeld-wen.ca

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Smart Looks, Smarter Build.

Elevate your exterior with LP® SmartSide® Lap in brushed smooth texture. 16’ lengths mean faster, more efficient installs, while 16 colour options maintain your style.

Helps protect against impacts from hail and resist termites and fungal decay— combining strength and beauty in one smart solution.

LP® SmartSide® products are available through Taiga Building Products, giving customers certainty with every product, every time.

Browse our full selection at taigabuilding.com LP, SmartSide, ExpertFinish and associated logos are registered trademarks of Louisiana-Pacific Corporation.

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PRODUCTS FOR PROS

WESTMAN STEEL

Snap Lok Roofing Panels

Snap Lok is a concealed fastener steel roofing system designed for both beauty and performance.

With clean, crisp lines and no visible screws, it delivers a modern, highend look while providing the strength and durability of steel. The panels “snap” together with a locking seam that hides fasteners, enhancing curb appeal. westmansteel.ca

WESTMAN STEEL

EDCO Board & Batten Steel Panels This product replicates the timeless charm of traditional wood siding and roofing, but with the unmatched longevity of steel. Designed to mimic the bold vertical lines of classic board and batten, this panel system combines old-world style with modern innovation.

It’s engineered to resist fading, cracking, and warping, making it a smart choice for homeowners and contractors alike. westmansteel.ca

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WHEN YOU BUILD

BUILD STRONG. BUILD CANADIAN.

ASK YOUR HOME BUILDER FOR PKJOISTS. The only i-joist manufacturer in Western Canada.

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VENDOR RELATIONS

WHEN A PRODUCT GOES WRONG

By Geoff McLarney

When a contractor tells you that a product has failed, it can create uncomfortable triangulations between contractor, retailer, and vendor. We talked to three pro dealers about how they balance customer loyalty and vendor relations

Every contractor wants their products

he explains, going back to the company’s origins as

to work, but sometimes something goes wrong—

a single store.

that’s where warranties can come in. But navi-

From there, the group has expanded dramatically,

gating their complexities and the requirements of

welcoming six new locations in 2017 and two more,

manufacturers isn’t always straightforward, and

in Ottawa, last year. Along the way, Doidge has

the support of a dealer can be crucial for the pro

added locations with “a very high percentage” of pro

customer seeking redress.

customers. Anderson’s own background is at one of

Jeff Anderson manages sales at Doidge Building

26

those contractor-oriented locations.

Centres, which has 13 stores in Ontario, 12 of them

In Ontario, all new homes are covered by a manda-

under the RONA banner. “We’ve always had a good

tory Ontario New Home Warranty. For those builds,

relationship with contractors right from the start,”

Tarion, the provincial agency that administers the

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“

You’ve got to go with your gut on some of the calls that you make. But if it’s with a contractor that’s been with us for a long time, we usually just help them out no matter what.”

—Kevin Gillman, manager, Grande Prairie Home Hardware Building Centre

with the manufacturer and “get their warranty information as to what would constitute a warranty claim for them. We would help the builders get the manufacturer out to the site to view the offending products. And then, if it is determined that it is a warrantable issue, we would then have the manufacturer provide us with the materials at the store level.”

HOW IT WORKS IN QUEBEC Marianne Moisan is co-owner, along with her cousin Mathieu Moisan, of BMR Paulin Moisan, a thirdgeneration pro dealer in Saint-Raymond, Que. The pair were named Young Retailers of the Year at the 2022 Outstanding Retailer Awards. She describes a similarly hands-on approach, including site visits. program, can do some of the legwork for the con-

“For materials such as shingles, sheet metal, and

sumer. British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec have

exterior cladding, we visit the customer’s site. We

similar mandatory programs, while in other provinces

take photos of the defective product and send them

optional warranties are available through members

to the supplier. We follow up on everything until the

of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association.

customer receives a credit.

If a builder doesn’t meet “the criteria of what the

“For tools, customers bring the defective tools to

end user is wanting,” Anderson explains, Tarion

our store,” Moisan explains. The next steps depend

“would then go to bat for the homeowner to [ask]

on “the supplier and the value of the tool.” For

the contractor to either rectify a situation or provide

example, the business has an agreement with King

documentation that this is part of the norm.”

Canada that allows it to accept exchanges in-store

In those cases, Anderson says his role is to liaise

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for products valued under $200.

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VENDOR RELATIONS

“

I don’t like to see a homeowner or a customer of mine stuck in a situation where a product has failed.”

—Jeff Anderson, RONA Doidge Building Centres, 13 locations in Ontario

“Otherwise, we take the tools ourselves to a

repair centre in Quebec City. We go there once a week, on Thursdays, to drop off tools for repair and/ or pick up repaired tools.”

Retailer Award for Best Building Supply or Home Centre over 15,000 square feet in 2022.

According to Gillman, the most challenging warranties are those for power tools. “It’s so vague.

Another wrinkle is the variety in warranty terms,

The vendors don’t really want to take it back once

including what’s covered. Some cover only materi-

it’s been used. We run into the same problems with

als, while others include labour. “If it’s just parts,

snowblowers, with lawnmowers. Once they’ve been

we order the parts and we have someone in-house

used, especially if they’ve got any type of gas in

who is able to modify parts for most products,”

them, we’re not supposed to take them back.”

says Moisan.

Yet another variable is how the dealer gets

Anderson agrees that sometimes “the manufacturer’s warranty isn’t clear, isn’t concise.” In those

involved—and at whose behest. “The odd time you

cases, the approach is to “work out a solution with

get the homeowner reaching out when it comes to a

the contractor to fi x the problem, either with a new

warranty claim; other times it’s the contractor,” says

product or helping them pay their labour or disposal

Kevin Gillman, general manager of Grande Prairie

of the bad product,” he says.

Home Hardware Building Centre, in the Alberta

For Anderson, those efforts are part of a broader

city of the same name. It received the Outstanding

concern for customer service. “I don’t like to see a

Doidge Building Centres has 13 locations in Ontario, 12 of them under the RONA banner. Right: Jeff Anderson.

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VENDOR RELATIONS

“

We take photos of the defective product and send them to the supplier.

We follow up on everything until the customer receives a credit.”

—Marianne Moisan, co-owner, BMR Paulin Moisan, St-Raymond, Que.

homeowner or a customer of mine stuck in a situa-

sends it away, then he could be waiting for one, two,

tion where a product has failed.”

three weeks possibly, depending on how far away

TAKING A LOSS

you’ve got to send it,” says Gillman.

“We’ve had circumstances where they’re pretty

In some cases, the retailers agree, maintaining a

upset by that warranty, so we’ll take care of it our-

customer relationship over the long run can mean

selves. And sometimes we take a loss on it. We’ll

taking a loss in the short term. “We prefer [taking a

give them a new product, we’ll take their damaged

loss] to having an unsatisfied customer because of

product, we’ll send it away. When we get it back,

suppliers being less flexible,” says Moisan.

we have to sell it as used. So we do take a loss on it,

“If it’s a power tool, whether it’s a Milwaukee, a DeWalt, or a Makita, they could have it for less than a

but in the long run it’s worth it because it’s building relationships with our builders.”

week,” Gillman explains. “And if it breaks down, what

None of this means you have to be a pushover. “If

the manufacturer wants us to do is to send it to the

we figure that we’re being abused and somebody’s

vendor to get it repaired. That really doesn’t work for

trying to take advantage of us because they’ve used

the builder that needs his circular saw or his drill.”

the snowblower for a week during a heavy snowfall

On the jobsite, of course, time is money. “If we’re going to send it away on his behalf, or even if he

and then they want to bring it back—that doesn’t always work.

Cousins Marianne and Mathieu Moisan (right) are third-generation owners of BMR Paulin Moisan.

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Kevin Gillman is GM at Grande Prairie Home Hardware Building Centre in Alberta.

“You’ve got to pick and choose, and you’ve got to go

lifetime for another product. We as a supplier of that

with your gut on some of the calls that you make. But

product may have 10 or 20 over the course of the

if it’s with a contractor that’s been with us for a long

lifetime with that product.

time, we usually just help them out no matter what.”

“So we’re a lot more familiar with the warranty

For his part, Anderson stresses that it’s important

process, and it helps us make the warranty claim

for his business not only to meet contractual obliga-

process seamless when it comes to the contractor,

tions but also to do what’s “morally right.”

for sure. And even more seamless when it comes to

“In a situation where a company’s warranty is fi ve years on, cut and dried, on a certain aspect of the

the homeowner.”

Likewise, Gillman says making an effort with war-

product line—if [the return is after] fi ve years and

ranties “goes a long way,” and a big part of that is

two months, we will sometimes go out of pocket in

transparency with the customer. “We will tell them

order to make sure we do the right thing.”

what the warranty is and what we’re going to do,

DOING RIGHT BY YOUR PROS

and they really do appreciate it. It works for us and it works for them.”

Ultimately, dealers are trying to do right by their pro

Anderson echoes the sentiment. “It’s customer

customers just as the pros want to serve their own

service on our end. We would like to see both the con-

clients. “A lot of the time the contractor is trying to

tractor and the homeowner or the home builder come

sell the job to their customer. Warranty is definitely

back to our stores, which is why we would tend to err

a selling point for them, and you want to make sure

on the side of helping facilitate and make sure that

that your supplier can fulfill any warranty obliga-

things are run smoothly when it is a warranty issue.”

tions,” says Anderson.

“The homeowner may have one warranty claim

In the end, Anderson says his goal is to help the customer “in any way we possibly can, because

in their lifetime for a particular product. The

you’re only as good as the last interaction you had

contractor may have two warranty claims in their

with that customer.”

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:22 PM

SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES

Interview by Steve Payne

CUSTOMER-

DRIVEN When Joaquim (Jack) Prazeres founded SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES 15 years ago, he thought he was starting a small side business. It hasn’t worked out that way. During an interview with Senso Group president Cynthia Prazeres-Mare, we learn that listening to what contractors wanted has propelled Senso Group into a thriving, three division business

SENSO GROUP SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES YEAR FOUNDED: 2010 LOCATIONS: ▶ 6 Hyde Avenue, Toronto ▶ 150 Rockcliffe Court, Toronto NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 70

Photography: Ema Suvajac

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BUYING GROUP: AD

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Senso has three businesses in one: a building supply business, a rental equipment business, and a waste disposal business.

Left to right: David Mare, Jason Prazeres, Cynthia Prazeres-Mare, Otilia Prazeres, Jack Prazeres.

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SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES

Senso Group president Cynthia Prazeres-Mare

Let’s start with your father, Joaquim, who is known as Jack. He was born in a rural village northwest of Lisbon, Portugal, in 1962. His was a family of small farmers who grew wine grapes. He came with his family to Toronto in 1974. When he graduated high school, he co-founded a masonry company, Trican Masonry, with three partners. How did he come to create Senso?

over four acres. We’ve kept both locations.

pete for fi ve years, so he couldn’t go back into the

Your father’s been very successful both in business and in the Portuguese community, and in charities. He’s obviously a larger-thanlife guy. What is his role with Senso right now?

bricklaying business. That’s how he decided to start

He still oversees a lot of the operations. My brother,

Senso Building Supplies. He thought it would be a

Jason, who is our CFO, and I run the day-to-day aspect

small side business—he had no expectations of it

of the business. But my father is here for all of our

becoming what it is today. Our first yard was at 6

major decisions. And my husband, David Mare, came

Hyde Avenue, Toronto, and it was quite small, and

in to start up our waste management division in 2017.

we outgrew it in about three years. So now we have

And my mother, Otilia, is involved with the accounting.

Around 2010, the one partner wanted to take over.

He bought my dad out. My dad had a non-com-

34

a bigger yard, at 150 Rockcliffe Court, which is just

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SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES

Our diversity is due to our customer demands—just adding services based on the needs of our customers and trying to be a one-stop shop for everything they need.”

Senso Building Supplies’ main location at 150 Rockliffe Court, Toronto, is ideally situated to serve the entire city.

You’re 35 now and you are an alumnus of Carleton University, Ottawa, where you graduated in 2011 with a degree in zoology and animal biology. Have you been able to apply your university education to your work at Senso?

Toronto, I would work in his constituency office.

I think regardless of what you study, being able to get a university degree, it really opens up your

The Toronto Portuguese community was obviously important to you, growing up?

thought processes. And it’s not so much about what

Yes. My dad at one point was the president of

it is that you’re taking, but about how you tackle

our community (Portuguese) cultural centre in

situations and questions and problems. And learn-

Mississauga. There were a lot of different aspects

ing how to manage a lot at once, being able to focus

that we were able to connect with there. And

on what needs to be done to accomplish the goal.

coming into the construction industry, there are a

There I was dealing with a lot of people, different personalities, different cultures, and figuring out what people’s priorities are.

lot of Portuguese and Italians. Our initial success

36

And while you were in Ottawa, you went to work in the office of a famous politician, Mario Silva.

was due in large part to the Portuguese commun-

I learned about the ins and outs of the political

that, we do our best to give back to various com-

system. And in the summers when I was home in

munity groups.

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ity in the Greater Toronto Area. And because of

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Senso has three businesses in one: a building supply business, a rental equipment business, and a waste disposal business. That business model is not replicated in other places in Canada. It’s unique to Senso.

great if you were able to do that for me.’ Or they’ll say:

I sometimes get asked, who is your biggest com-

trying to push that on our customers, we’ve let our

petitor? And my answer is always: ‘In what field?’

customers guide our growth and direction.

‘I’m not happy with this supplier. Is there something that you can do?’ And we’ve let that drive our growth as opposed to saying, ‘You know what, today we think we’re going to get into the lumber game.’ Rather than

I can’t find a direct competitor that does, even let alone adding in the equipment and the waste

You have a unique product mix, perfect for your industrial and commercial customers.

management. And I don’t think that was ever really

Compared to a regular lumberyard, yes. We have a

the plan for Senso. We started up as mostly a

lot of concrete products in our yard as well as bricks

masonry supply store. But the real focus has always

and interlock. Our sales are close to 60-70 percent

been on customer service.

industrial and ICI stuff right now. We had a big boom

within the building supplies, everything that we do,

Because of that, we’ve let our customers drive our

in residential construction when we were doing all

growth and our expansion. They will tell you: ‘It would

sorts of subdivisions—but that sector is pretty slow

be really helpful if you had this product,’ or ‘It would be

at the moment. But it’ll rise.

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SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES

We’ve been very adaptable as a company. And I guess we’re very lucky in the sense that we can change and manipulate what we sell. We’re not solely focused on one thing.”

What’s your prediction for 2025? What kind of a year are you going to have?

We’ve been very adaptable as a company. And I guess we’re very lucky in the sense that we can change and manipulate what we sell. We’re not solely focused on one thing. For example, last year, our masonry was down, but our lumber and drywall were up significantly. Because we don’t fit into one box, we can change what we focus on and

homeowners still. We do sales, we also do service,

how we attack the market based on where we find

which is a big one for us. We fix everyone’s machines,

the demand that year. Predicting this year is a little

and the rental machines as well. Again, our diversity

bit tricky. Towards Q3 we think we’ll start seeing an

is due to our customer demands. We’ve just added

uptick as the industry gets back on track.

services based on the needs of our customers, trying to be a one-stop shop for everything they need.

38

Let’s talk about the evolution of your rental business. Who is the typical customer, or is that difficult to say?

Are you able to sell somebody or rent somebody a Kubota, like a mini backhoe-loader?

Yes, it would be difficult. I would say on the rental

Yeah, we do mini excavators, steers, and all of that

side, it’s small to medium-sized contractors. And

other material handling equipment. And conveyor

then, especially on the weekends, we get a lot of

belts. Because we’re right in the city, and every-

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SENSO BUILDING SUPPLIES

Senso rents a unique product that is a combination disposal bin and concrete mixer.

thing’s so tight, we rent and sell a lot of smaller material handling machines. For example, we have a skid steer that’s five feet wide, but we also have a little ride-on one that’s three feet wide that can get between Toronto houses. We are really just trying to cater to our specific market.

Do you provide trusses?

Yes. That is a sector that we started developing in the last two years. We met with the right suppliers so we can provide our customers with this option.

Within the last year, we’ve been successful at getting the whole lumber package for our customers.

From floors to trusses, to all the framing lumber.

Can you talk about the disposal business?

How did Senso get into that?

We started with a product that was really unique.

It was a bin with a multi-mixer on the side of it. We deliver that product a lot of times in the city. We put

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“

Other than work hard, the phrase that my father uses all the time is: ‘If you don’t service your customer, someone else will.’ ”

three yards of sand in there with a couple bags of

grandmothers, so if they have to sleep over, they

masonry cement. And contractors will put it on the

sleep over. No big deal. I’m very lucky that way.

front lawn of the house, do their project, and then call us two or three days later to pick it up. It is an all-

How much Portuguese do you speak?

in-one. It is a popular product. That was the starting

I’m fluent. My grandmother only speaks Portuguese. I

point for us to get into different types of bins. And

generally try and get away to Portugal in the summer.

now we are really a full-service waste company.

Every other year maybe. I still have some cousins there, so it’s nice for my daughters to get to know

What’s your father’s essential business philosophy?

their family. It’s really a special bond.

Other than work hard, the phrase that he uses all

And then you work on the community side?

the time is: ‘If you don’t service your customer,

Yes, I’m one of the vice chairs of Mississauga’s

someone else will.’ It’s really putting a focus on the

festival of cultures, Carrassauga. Senso is also a

customer service. But overall, he’s a bit of a risk

big supporter of Luso Canadian Charitable Society,

taker, I would say. He’s not scared to try something

which support adults with disabilities. We’ve been

new. And one of the things I say to my staff is that if

honoured to be a two-time recipient of AD’s Giving

we’re not changing, then we’re going to fall behind.

Back Award for the work we do with Luso CCS.

I love change. I embrace it. Being able to change is essential to our success!

Is it tough working with your immediate family members?

I think we actually work pretty well. We generally try not to step on each other’s toes. We definitely don’t always agree on everything. But we’ve got a good relationship where we can put work aside and talk about it over dinner if we need to, and move on.

And you have to mix parenting into it, as well.

How old are your kids?

Eight and nine. I’ve got my mom and my motherin-law that both help with the kids. It makes it a lot easier for work when I need to stay late, or when I need to go to an event after work. They’re with their

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SERVICES

By John Caulfield

EQUIPMENT RENTALS FOR THE PRO DEALER

Even a small program can generate ancillary sales

Windsor Plywood’s building supply outlet

employees. A planned renovation and expansion of

in Qualicum Beach, B.C., is this pro dealer’s only

the store later this year will give more display space

branch that specializes in equipment and tools, a

to Windsor Rentals and separate its equipment from

program that Windsor Plywood inherited when it

the store’s for-sale products, says Sean Machan, the

acquired the store in 1989.

store’s manager.

Windsor Rentals, as the program is known by, is

42

Windsor Plywood seems typical of how pro dealers

incorporated into the store, shares a service counter,

in general offer rental equipment and tools more as

and takes up about 25 lineal feet of display space.

a customer service than as a profit centre. As such,

Aside from an on-staff mechanic who handles main-

dealers might be missing some opportunities for

tenance and repair, Windsor Rentals has no exclusive

growth and better investment returns. Achieving

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Orgill’s Ken Duck says gross rental profits for the dealers in its program can run anywhere between 76 percent and 84 percent before factoring in overhead.”

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SERVICES

those goals, though, would require a greater com-

will have to be someone whose job it is to take care of

mitment to staff and inventory that the pro dealers

the department, even though it may not be their only

we spoke with aren’t yet in any hurry to make.

job in the store.”

Pro dealers must also remember that their rental

NO DEDICATED STAFF REQUIRED

programs are competing against larger companies

Let’s start with staffing. The dealers we contacted

with outlets that specialize in renting equipment and

for this article say they are doing just fine without

tools to pros and consumers alike. One such com-

having any employees assigned primarily to rental.

petitor is the acquisition-minded Cooper Equipment

At least one—Niagara Building & Design Centre in

Rentals. The compact equipment specialist (with

Welland, Ont.—plans to add a dedicated asso-

81 branches in six provinces) likes to staff its

ciate once its rental program, which Niagara

stores with “local people” who understand

has offered since the store opened its doors in

local customer needs.

2022, is generating sufficient revenue to sup-

“We want to maintain personal contact, with

port that person. (The program is currently

both the customer and employee speaking the

averaging $4,000 in rental revenue per month, says co-owner Kevin Bolibruck, who expects

Kevin Bolibruck

same language,” explains Cooper’s regional manager, Mike Wijayasundar. He adds that

his Castle store to reach the higher revenue thresh-

Cooper’s competitive formula for success hinges on

old by 2027.)

serviceability and flexibility, so “listening to custom-

Orgill, the hardlines distributor, has offered dealers a rental equipment program for 20 years.

ers” is essential to any rental transaction.

That program—which according to the company has

MAINTAINING WHAT YOU RENT

attracted a great deal of interest from Canadian deal-

Cooper’s branches handle the maintenance and

ers—includes comprehensive training where dealers

repair of the equipment and tools they rent. The

are instructed on best practices.

way pro dealers maintain what they rent varies. For

“We have found that a successful rental equipment

example, Barr’s BMR in Bobcaygeon, Ont., which

business typically requires dedicated staff to run the

generates about $10,000 per month in rental revenue

department,” observes Ken Duck, Orgill’s programs

during winter months and considerably more during

sales manager. While he concedes that dealers just

hotter seasons, uses an off-site mechanic and, in a

launching a rental program can get away with using

pinch, a couple of Barr’s employees who are mech-

existing staff for a period of time, eventually “there

anically adept, says Mitch Barr, the store’s manager.

One of Niagara Building Centre’s drivers doubles as its rental equipment repair guy, says Bolibruck.

And Devon Chamberlain, an accounts receivables specialist, oversees maintenance and repair of rental equipment at Chamberlain TIMBER MART in Gravenhurst, Ont. Chamberlain’s rental program generates between $15,000 and $20,000 in annual revenue. And while it depends on the item, the store hopes to get four or five good years out of its rental equipment and tools before they need to be replaced.

Windsor Plywood’s location in Qualicum Beach, B.C., specializes in rental equipment and tools.

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SERVICES

Orgill suggests that what’s missing from many dealers’ rental programs is a market study, which Ken Duck asserts is a “foundational block for building your offering.”

Cooper owns all the equipment it rents and relies

rent from a combination of branded vendors, like

on its vendors for parts. Most of the pro dealers

Bostitch, Hilti, John Deere, Bobcat, and Makita; and

interviewed own what they rent, too. The exception

specialized suppliers such as Pro Quip, Rent-E-

is Niagara Building Centre, which typically leases

Quip, and G.C. Duke.

equipment from vendors like Hilti (which has its own

Orgill’s mix includes names that are familiar (Blue-

Tools on Demand rental program) for three years,

bird, Milwaukee Tool, Toro, Ditch Witch, Bosch) and

and then purchases the product for eventual resale.

specialists like Electric Eel and Mi-T-M. Wijayasun-

Orgill’s Duck says gross rental profits for the

dar says that each of Cooper’s branches deals with

dealers in its program can run anywhere between 76

more than 150 vendors, sometimes several for the

percent and 84 percent before factoring in overhead.

same product. But, he adds, “over the years we’ve

And while ROI on rentals is based on initial cost and

found that we’re not pioneers. It’s more important to

rent frequency, Duck says that most dealers should

provide the best customer service.”

reasonably expect a three- to five-time return on

Cooper’s rental stores, which in Toronto can exceed

smaller, more general items. Similar returns on lar-

7,500 square feet, have the space needed for a robust

ger equipment with higher upfront investment costs

rental assortment. But Wijayasundar is also quick to

often take longer to realize, he says.

note that no dealer’s rental program is boundless.

A MIX OF VENDORS

“You can’t be everything to everyone,” he says.

Pro dealers’ rental assortments are more mod-

Dealer-member buying groups generally don’t get

est, confined by available space and determined

involved in supplying for-rent tools or equipment.

by customer demand. The equipment Chamberlain

Consequently, dealers with rental programs find

TIMBER MART rents includes AttiCat insulation

themselves needing to purchase products they

blowers, air nailers, gas-powered soil compactors, ceramic tile saws, drywall board cutters, guillotine fl oor cutters, generators, PAM Fasteners screw guns, scaffolding, cement power saws, and rotary hammer drills. It keeps its rental equipment inside two 10x12-foot sheds in its yard. Its most popular rentals are cement mixers and fl oor nailers. Chamberlain says its rental mix has “evolved” based on changing customer requests.

Rental equipment takes up about 400 square feet of outside space at Niagara Building Centre, which

Cooper Rentals is one of the market leaders that pro dealers compete with. It has 81 stores in six provinces— some of which exceed 7,500 square feet.

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Barr’s BMR in Bobcaygeon, Ont., generates about $10,000 per month in rental revenue during winter months and considerably more during hotter seasons.

also displays some rental stuff inside its store. Niag-

safety related products. Pro dealers, on the other

ara focuses on small-engine equipment like power

hand, seem to be content letting customer demand

washers, dehumidifiers, and so forth. Jackhammers,

guide their programs’ expansion. “What we have right

floor sanders, and one-person augers are particular-

now is pretty good,” says Bolibruck, who echoes how

ly popular, says Bolibruck. He notes that the program

other dealers assess their rental mix.

takes vendors’ advice about what to rent, and there’s

Orgill’s Duck, however, suggests that what’s

a whiteboard in the store where customer requests

missing from many dealers’ rental programs is a

are written and, often, met.

market study, which he asserts is a “foundational

Machan says that his computer tracks the rental

block for building your offering.” A rental market

frequency of his equipment, and that pros are most

study (which Orgill will perform for dealers in its

likely to rent stuff like aerators and log splitters. He

network) rates a specific area and positions the

notes that Windsor Rentals has been moving more

dealer accordingly to either capture market share or

toward battery-powered equipment and away from

pick up margin dollars where opportunity exists. The

gas-driven products.

study’s primary purpose, Duck says, “is to identify

Barr’s BMR devotes one-third of its 4,000 square foot store plus outdoor space to displaying rental products. Its mix includes articulated lifts (a popular

those opportunities and present the retailer with a blueprint for how to take advantage.”

One expectation that pro dealers say they have for

rental, says Barr), backhoes, mini excavators, power

their rental programs is that it leads to more sales

washers and augers, shovels, leaf blowers and

eventually. In its description of its rental services on

generators. Lately, it’s been staying away from wood

its website, Barr’s BMR Pro states “we can also offer

chippers because of potential jamming problems.

a variety of supplies that you might need such as

Other dealers say they avoid rental products that are

aggregate topsoil, cement, and lumber to make sure

expensive to fix.

your project is fully supplied.”

Bolibruck confirms that his store’s rental program

A MARKET STUDY NEEDED

“absolutely” brings in business the store otherwise

Cooper’s Wijayasundar says his company sees

wouldn’t get. That occasionally includes the pur-

growth potential in what he calls “specialty rentals,”

chase of a tool or equipment that a pro customer had

which would include “pump and power” and trench

previously used as a rental and liked it.

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2025-08-06

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TITLE SPONSOR

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5:2 PM

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MOUNTAIN VIEW BUILDING MATERIALS

NORTH AMERICAN HARDWARE AND PAINT ASSOCIATION

2025-08-06

: 0 PM

VENDOR FORUM

Interview by Geoff McLarney & Steve Payne

TARIFFS, THE ECONOMY, AND BUILDING MATERIALS This interview with RUSS PERMANN, president and CEO of Taiga Building Products, was conducted on June 19, 2025. Permann analyzes the market as of that date and looks at the prospects for the rest of the year and longer term.

Tariffs are all anyone can talk about right now.

We know that commenting on tariffs for a print magazine is problematic, because the situation seems to change daily. Based on the situation in mid-June, at which point the market for building materials has slowed down, do you think that tariffs will become a bigger issue in the second half of the year? Especially as lumberyards start to get their reorders in?

created a little bit of an offset to the impact of tariffs.

I don’t think it’s a question of the timing of the

playbook or a framework to guide us through these

ordering, it’s really a question of confidence. As you

markets. Sometimes injecting uncertainty is, in fact,

noted, the market has slowed down. Market prices

a strategy. And I think that’s part of the issue now.

I don’t think people are necessarily seeing a rising cost of building materials in their inventories because the commodity market is doing its natural thing and stepping in. And providing a certain amount of relief because of the weak demand that’s a function of uncertainty. Saying what will happen going forward is that we don’t know. And I’ve been saying this since the pandemic! We don’t have a

have declined and to some extent that has offset some

It’s hard to tell people where things are going to

of the impacts of potential tariffs on goods. I should

go when uncertainty is the strategy. I think from our

note that Canada and the U.S. are presently under

perspective, we don’t presently see a lot of infla-

the protection of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agree-

tion. It’s very targeted on very specific items. But

ment [CUSMA, the 2020 replacement for NAFTA, the

what I do see is volatility coming—and that will be a

former North American Free Trade Agreement that

function of the uncertainty.

was in place since 1994] so trade is less impacted.

I don’t think we’re getting a clear direction on the

Although we still have some goods that are impacted

market yet for the fall of 2025. But I think that you

by tariffs on both sides of the border.

know there is an equal chance that we will see some

The reason prices have declined is not tariffs,

inflation again on the material side. But that’s going

necessarily. They’ve declined because of weak

to be a function of getting some kind of trade deal

demand. And weak demand is a function of the

done between the two countries.

consumer’s lack of confidence and thus retail lack

50

of confidence. There’s not as many people coming

Do you think a recession is going to happen?

to the market to trade in commodities as we might

I’ve read analyses lately that suggests we’re already

see in a more buoyant market. And that has probably

technically in a recession. It’s tough to say. Going

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“

Sometimes injecting uncertainty is, in fact, a strategy.

And I think that’s part of the issue now.” back to the point I made on the previous

the people-enabling side of our busi-

question, it’s tough to say what trajectory

ness that makes it easier for our staff to

the market will take. Because there are

do their work—and supporting our cus-

so many regional differences to account

tomers. We definitely put the customer

for. There are clearly slower parts of the

at the centre of all of our decisions

country that are probably in some form of

around technology. The other area that

recession now, certainly on the building

we invest in is direct customer enable-

products and on the housing side of the market. When you look at Ontario and

RUSS PERMANN

ment technology. That is there to maximize the transparency our customers

B.C., they are quite possibly in some form of tech-

have in doing business with us—and other partners

nical recession.

for that matter. We want people doing business here

But there are other parts of the market that are relatively buoyant. You know you’ve got places like Alberta and the Prairies where business is still very

to have maximum control over the experience that they’re having.

So we’ve got our online store launched and oper-

robust and sound. The risk is obviously there for the

ating. It’s a B2B platform for all of our customers.

country to enter into a full-blown recession. But I

They can look at our inventories and check their

remain optimistic.

prices. It’s individualized to each store. And it con-

And I’m bullish on housing long term. I think

tinues to be enhanced. So that’s probably a change

underlying demand for housing is there. And I think,

since last we talked. And you know there’s so much

based on the election results, the government

room to grow on that side of the business and we

willingness to support housing is there. I think we

continue to invest there.

just need to get past this short-term uncertainty for

But we’re also starting to work now on some

housing to hit its stride. I think the back half of 2025

AI-powered solutions that are focused on making our

could be weaker than we had all hoped for going in.

customers’ lives better in operating their businesses.

But I can see strength beyond that.

We’re in some early pilot stages, so I won’t reveal too much about the activities there.

The last time you were with us [May 2023], you talked about the gap between the possibilities and the reality around technology in the LBM industry. Can you tell us what Taiga has done to narrow that gap?

Technology continues to be where our core investments are made in our business. We’re still

A longer audio version of this interview is published on the Hardlines website, hardlines.ca.

Just follow the links to the What’s In Store podcast. Subscribe to Hardlines podcasts so you won’t miss frequent new podcasts that we do with industry leaders. There is no charge.

investing in two key areas. We obviously invest in

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MARKETING

PRO INFLUENCER

By Steve Payne

Three of the biggest social media influencers in the Canadian contractor market are women: Danielle Browne, Sasha Kassis, and Shannon Tymosko. “I think it’s just a different take on the world that tends to draw people’s attention,” Browne says

52

“I love what the university brings: service and maintenance. It’s such an old campus and I’m always busy working on something cool.”

“As an owner, it’s my responsibility to not set unrealistic deadlines on time and stuff. Employees need to change. Bosses need to change.”

“If you have the courage to reach out for help, I promise to meet you with compassion, empathy, and support. I believe that seeking help takes immense bravery.”

—Danielle Browne

—Sasha Kassis

—Shannon Tymosko

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MARKETING

Danielle Browne

AGE: 36 HOMETOWN: Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, N.L. OCCUPATION: Red Seal Plumber EMPLOYER: Memorial University MAIN PLATFORM: | @thelittlestplumber

Danielle Browne was the first female plumber in

of St. John’s. “I did my nine-month block there,

Newfoundland. She says there might be “about ten”

taking two advanced plumbing courses.”

nowadays. She is striving hard to see that number climb.

“I’ve had an obsession with tools my entire life.

There’s photos of me at eight years old, tools in my

Danielle has worked as a Red Seal plumber for

hands. But I never had that academic know-how.

Memorial University in St. John’s, N.L., for the last

It never dragged me in. After high school, I didn’t

14 years.

know what I wanted to do. I ended up giving my

“When I joined Memorial I’d had my fi ve years

resume to a garage.

of commercial construction and it’s not what my

“They hired me. I was stocking the shelves. And

ADHD brain likes,” she says. “I love what the uni-

the boss said, ‘You know what? I think you’re a

versity brings: service and maintenance. It’s such

mechanic.’ I was thrilled. I had never worked on a

an old campus and I’m always busy working on

car in my life.

something cool.”

“I worked there for seven years. I loved it but

Danielle got her training at the College of the

I didn’t want to do it for the rest of my life. One

North Atlantic in Bonavista, N.L., three hours north

day, I ran into my friend, Chris. And he told me that he’d just applied to plumbing school. And I

thelittlestplumber

...

thelittlestplumber

...

thought, that sounds fun. I applied the next week and that was it.”

Danielle is a well-known infl uencer and advocate for women in the trades. She works alongside carpenters, millwrights, electricians, and engineers at the university. They even have glass blowers and welders on staff.

She goes by the Instagram handle @thelittlestplumber.

“When I get to these trade shows in the U.S., they usually say to me: ‘You’re not so little!’ I’m 5 foot six

thelittlestplumber Over half my life has been spent in the trades and I have seen the industry come so far, but more work is needed. Accelerating action means breaking barriers, building opportunities, and creating real change for women in the trades. Let’s invest, support, and upliftbecause when women thrive, industries and communities do too.

rocksolid_gg Hilarious & high energy video went live last night. Check the video out on the YouTubes. Look up @thelittlestplumber for amazing content. Seriously. the_ladyplumbero newfoundlanddonutco The interview we didn’t know we needed andtheyearwas1985 Loves it bys keep em comin!

inches tall.”

“Then I tell them it’s based on a famous Canadian TV show, The Littlest Hobo.”

For her numerous Instagram posts, Danielle makes all her own videos. She uses a variety of different apps. “There are so many content creators in the trades that are willing to show you their tricks.

It’s quite a community.”

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MARKETING

Sasha Kassis

AGE: 29 HOMETOWN: Fort-Coulogne, Quebec RESIDENCE: Ucluelet, B.C. OCCUPATION: Owner, Wildside Construction MAIN PLATFORM: | @sasha_the_carpenter

Sasha Kassis first set foot on a construction

“When I went to work for Wiener Construction,

site about 10 years ago in Edmonton. “I got into

it made me believe there’s actual potential in the

construction once I had figured out that working

construction industry. They treated people great,

indoors would be the cause of my misery.

there was great crew morale, barbecues every

“It wasn’t necessarily a passion at first,” says the

Friday. We even had Funky Fridays. It was just day

owner of Wildside Construction on the west coast

and night compared to all the companies I had been

of Vancouver Island.

working with. And that’s when I was like, okay, I

“I went through so many moments where I just

want this!”

wanted to quit. I was sick of the toxic lifestyle, I was

Sasha was born in the town of Fort-Coulogne,

sick of the bosses I was getting. For the first couple

Quebec, 90 minutes northwest of Ottawa. The

of years, the pay wasn’t good—asking for a raise was

bilingual woman is now plying her trade—and build-

almost impossible. And then I just decided to quit—

ing her company—thousands of miles away on the

and start finding some more bosses.

Pacific Ocean.

“And then I realized, okay, some people do pay

She founded Wildside Construction a few years

fairly. Some people will treat you right.

ago. She tries to be an enlightened boss.

“As an owner, it’s my responsibility to not set

sasha_the_carpenter

...

sasha_the_carpenter

...

unrealistic deadlines on time and stuff. Employees need to change. Bosses need to change.”

Sasha doesn’t have a specific trade and describes herself as an entrepreneur. “For that, you just need to know what you’re doing.

“Eventually we want to practise the four tens— meaning working four days a week, ten hours a day. This is about the nicest location in Canada.

It’s basically a vacation paradise all year round.”

Sasha, like the other infl uencers in these pages, is a fervent advocate of getting more women into

sash_the_carpenter It’s been a minute since I took the time to properly introduce myself to those who are new around here and figured that since I hit 50k FOLLOWERS - it would be a good time to do so. You probably already pieced in together that my name is Sasha and that I am a carpenter. I joined the industry 9 years ago after quitting my office job ...

sash_the_carpenter Sometimes I post videos of myself working and think, What’s the point? Another nail. Another board.

Another day. But then I get a message from women who say it gave them the courage to get in the tools. From moms who show their daughters and say, “See? You can do anything.” And I remember: Visibility matters. Representation matters.

construction.

“We don’t have the same needs on a jobsite. For example, I can say I want equality, but you can tell that to someone and they’re going to give me the same harness as a guy that weighs 200 pounds and he’s six feet tall. So that’s not equality.”

“We fight for equity. So that’s basically accommodating everybody on the site. That’s the goal.”

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:25 PM

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MARKETING

Shannon Tymosko

AGE: 36 HOMETOWN: Keswick, Ontario OCCUPATION: Fourth-year Electrical Apprentice UNION: IBEW Local 105 MAIN PLATFORM: | @lady.voltz

The week before our interview with Shannon, she

a Children and Youth Worker diploma, finding a job

found out that she had been laid off from her job at

in a shelter for homeless youth.

the Hamilton Airport.

“I worked at a payday loan company while going

“I’ll have to go back to the union and look for

to school. This evolved into an almost ten-year

work,” she said. “I’m going to take a little break. The first layoff sucks when you’ve never been laid off

career.”

But Shannon was in her late twenties when she

before. But really, it’s nothing to be upset about.”

discovered what she really wanted to do.

Shannon is a member of the International

“My best friend, Matt, bought a house. With the

Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 105.

help of YouTube, we renovated his basement and

She is an ambassador and advocate for appren-

did his bathroom. I enjoyed this. I found out that

tices and the skilled trades, known online as

it didn’t matter what job I was on. It was seeing it

@lady.voltz.

come to life!”

Originally, she went to school for a semester of

Through her local YWCA, Shannon enrolled in a

accounting. “It wasn’t for me.” She then completed

couple of pre-apprenticeship programs. The first was in machining, where her co-op partner was

lady.voltz

...

lady.voltz

...

Dofasco (a legendary Hamilton steel company).

“Then they put a freeze on the Dofasco jobs. And another pre-apprenticeship opportunity came up in electrical. I completed that at the YWCA, too, handin-hand with Mohawk College. I was 29 or 30 when I finished it.”

She faciliates electrical workshops for the school board, promoting apprenticeships.

“I have a true passion for this educational piece.

Starting out as a child and youth worker, I want to be an advocate. Apprenticeship is a potential career

lady.voltz Tools are getting dirty, hands are getting rough, but the sense of pride is priceless! First week back on the job, and I’m thrilled to be contributing to Hamilton Airport’s transformation. I have to admit, I missed the daily grind - the learning, the challenges, and the sweat that comes with it.

lady.voltz What an incredible day with @BuildaDream at Janet Metcalf Public School! We built carpenter’s toolboxes with these talented girls and witnessed something truly special. From “I can’t do this” to “I CAN!”, we transformed doubts into confidence in just 1 hour! Watching these girls grow and shine makes my day (every time)! #BuildADream

path that young people need to know about.”

Shannon believes that youth needs a hand up.

She writes on Instagram: “If you have the courage to reach out for help, I promise to meet you with compassion, empathy, and support. I believe that seeking help takes immense bravery. And I’m committed to providing you with all the time and resources I can to help you achieve your goals.”

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MARKETING

By Rebecca Dumais

HOW THE BIG BOXES ARE WOOING PROS Every Canadian big box home improvement

The retailer’s Pro Xtra Rewards loyalty program

chain is out to win over professional contractors—

earns rewards on all purchases—and pros can earn

and the competition between stores like Home

quarterly discounts on paint, for example, based on

Depot and RONA has never been more fierce. The

volume of the spend in a given quarter.

prize is a highly valuable, loyal customer base that

Beyond savings, pros get leads through Local

consistently spends more than average home-

Pro, a referral tool that can bring jobs directly to

owners. Here’s how both are working the room.

contractors via the Home Depot platform. They also

HOME DEPOT CANADA Home Depot has a rich ecosystem tailored for professionals. Its Pro Business Account offers

benefit from targeted tools and vehicle rentals, temporary fencing, and streamlined jobsite order tracking, including delivery scheduling.

The Home Depot installer program adds another

extended services like volume pricing, bulk pricing,

layer: certified professionals can become ‘author-

commercial credit lines, and jobsite delivery.

ized installers,’ tying into Home Depot’s consumer network. These pros receive marketing support, fast payments (up to three times per week), and access to big-ticket projects like kitchens and flooring.

Last year, Home Depot ramped up its deliveries to pros in the Greater Toronto Area with a 600,000-square-foot Flatbed Distribution Centre (FDC) which ships direct to contractor jobsites. It was one of four FDCs that the Atlanta-based retailer opened last year. The chain says it will build 150 FDCs. Previously, the stores had to close down aisles to pick bulk orders like lumber, insulation, and roofing. More FDCs in Canada are on the way.

Home Depot ramped up its service to pros in the Toronto area with the opening of its Flatbed Distribution Centre close to Pearson Airport last year.

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Get a new perspective from industry leaders What’s in Store A free podcast series from Hardlines that features interviews with industry leaders from all parts of the home improvement industry. Listen while you are in the car, or from the comfort of your office.

You will be entertained, educated and that much more connected to the industry!

RECENTLY ADDED PODCASTS

Russ Permann Russ Permann is president and CEO of Taiga Building Products Inc., Burnaby, B.C. In this newly-published podcast he talks to Hardlines editors about the effect of tariffs on the building materials business, the likelihood of a recession, and the prospects for the rest of the year. He also talks about his company’s investments in technology, AI, and what guides his company’s investment decisions: customer experience.

David Ian Gray

David Ian Gray of Vancouver-based DIG360 is a retail strategist and expert. In this podcast, Gray talks with Hardlines editor Rebecca Dumais about the changing retail landscape including the impact of tariffs on Canadian businesses, the fall of iconic brands Hudson’s Bay Company and Peavey Mart and charting a path in uncertain economic times.

Peter Turkstra

In this episode, Peter Turkstra, third-generation owner of 11-store Hamilton, Ont.-based Turkstra Lumber, is interviewed by Pro Dealer editor Steve Payne. Peter talks about the headwinds that all dealers face in 2025, starting with the tariff issue, which he describes as a “gong show.” Peter also talks about how municipal development charges have climbed steeply.

Plus many more podcasts to choose from!

Listen today for free at hardlinespodcast.ca The Hardlines Podcast Series has been made possible through the support of:

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MARKETING

All in all, Home Depot is doubling down on pros,

• Rolling out pro signage across 92 RONA+ big box

touting that 48 percent of its sales are from con-

stores, offering clear branding and a professional

tractors. The FDCs allow pros to reserve materials,

experience in-store.

enjoy jobsite delivery, and pay on delivery—improv-

In essence, RONA is making itself a one-stop shop

ing efficiency and reducing store congestion.

for the pro contractor—offering deeper integration

In March 2025, Home Depot Canada named

between digital, physical, and logistical support.

Michael Rowe EVP of Pro for North America, high-

RONA has beefed up its physical footprint for

lighting the strategic importance of professionals

pros. The new Direct Delivery Centres are critical:

in its business plan. Rowe was previously running

they mirror Home Depot’s flatbed model, enabling

the Canadian division for the world’s largest home

RONA to process and deliver large orders directly

improvement retailer. His appointment signals a

to job sites in major markets. Complemented by

coordinated push to deepen the pro ecosystem and

pro-specific signage, RONA is reshaping its stores

optimize services—backed by digital tools, credit

to signal commitment to professional buyers.

solutions, and delivery networks.

RONA

RONA’s PROvember for VIPpro members is an annual in-store sales blitz featuring lunch-andlearns, pro offers, and contests, all aimed at fos-

RONA has been ramping up its appeal to contract-

tering professional engagement. These initiatives

ors via its VIPpro loyalty platform, launched in

cultivate loyalty and position the chain as a thought

September 2020. The program offers bulk-buying

leader, supporting contractors through education,

options, discounts, exclusive events, and work-

networking, and brand affinity.

shops—along with an app-based interface.

RONA is intensifying its focus on pros with

WHY PROS MATTER

enhanced services and a strengthened “RONA Pro

Contractors offer consistent, high-volume pur-

ecosystem.” Key initiatives include:

chases, often spanning multiple product categor-

• Appointment of Jamal Hamad, formerly of Home

ies. They require speed, reliability, logistics, and

Depot Canada, spearheading pro services.

support—things mass-market shoppers care less

• Opening of a second Direct Delivery Centre in

about. By intentionally building loyalty programs,

Hamilton, Ont., bolstering capabilities for bulk

logistics infrastructure, credit solutions, and com-

order and site delivery in Southern Ontario.

munity touchpoints, both Home Depot and RONA recognize that capturing the pro market is essential for profitable growth.

For Canada’s contractors, big box chains have shifted from transactional suppliers to strategic partners. Home Depot leans on deep pockets, scale, and connectivity, while RONA counters with local logistics, revamped store experiences, and an emerging pro-first identity. And what pros get is a highly competitive market—with access to more tools, better deals, and smarter services.

RONA has been installing special pro signage on 92 of its RONA+ stores in Canada.

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Hardlines.ca

2025-08-05 8:50 M

POST YOUR JOB. FIND YOUR PERFECT HIRE. NO SWIPING REQUIRED.

Hiring in the home improvement industry?

Reach qualified managers, executives, sales reps, and top-tier retail professionals with Hardlines Classified Ads— featured in our exclusive Hardlines Weekly Report every Monday morning.

This industry-leading publication goes straight to the inboxes of decision-makers across Canada’s home improvement industry.

Why Choose Hardlines Classifieds?

Highly Targeted Exposure Affordable Pricing Immediate Placement Trusted by Industry Professionals RATES:

Premium Member Perks: 1 FREE 2-week classified per year – 15% OFF all other postings – Discounts on other Hardlines products

2 Weeks: $2.99/word (75-word minimum) 4 Weeks: $3.99/word (75-word minimum) Logo Placement (optional): $149.99 (one-time fee)

JOIN THE NETWORK. REACH TOP TALENT. LEARN MORE OR POST YOUR JOB TODAY AT HARDLINES.CA FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT JILL MACLEOD AT JILLIAN@HARDLINES.CA

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AD INDEX

ADVERTISERS Q3/2025 Auto-Stak

59

Hardlines Inc.

BMR

11

Home Hardware Stores

5

BP Canada

39

Johns Manville

57

Brampton Brick

35

MAX USA

15

Castle Building Centres Group

68

PinkWood

25

Certainteed

7, 9

Orgill

2, 3

CGC

29

Saint-Gobain

67

Diablo Tools

17

Sexton Group

19

Dupont

45

Taiga Building Products

23

GSW

55

autostak.com bmr.ca/becomeadealer bpcan.com

bramptonbrick.com youarethebrand.ca certainteed.com cgcinc.com diablotools.com dupont.com gsw-wh.com

hardlines.ca

48, 49, 61, 63, 65

home-owner.ca jm.com

maxusacorp.com pinkwood.ca orgill.com saint-gobain.com sextongroup.com taigabuilding.com

4TH QUARTER 2025

IN THE NEXT ISSUE: PRO Dealer THE PRO PRODUCTS ISSUE PLUS:

• Energy Efficiency • Roofing • Racking Systems 64

PRO Dealer // Q3 2025

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PUBLICATION DATE: November 19, 2025 AD RESERVATIONS: October 3, 2025 AD MATERIAL DUE: October 17, 2025 PUBLISHER David Chestnut david@hardlines.ca

ACCOUNT MANAGER Shannon MacLeod shannon@hardlines.ca

Hardlines.ca

2025-08-05 9:06 M

GET TWO ADVANTAGES Pro Dealer is for pro specialists!

Just like the title suggests, it’s a business magazine expressly conceived for contractor specialist yards, GSDs, and any other resellers who serve the pro market—residential or commercial.

This brand-new monthly e-news vehicle is the digital complement to Pro Dealer magazine. Each issue features: • stories on methods for driving profits in your business • studies of successful pro dealers • insights into the economic trends and business conditions that affect your sales • new products and innovations for your pro customers

NOT GETTING YOURS?

These must-have publications are FREE to you as an industry professional. Scan the QR code or visit www.prodealer.ca to sign up!

FOR ALL INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT

David Chestnut, Publisher, david@hardlines.ca

www.prodealer.ca Hardlines-ProDealer-Subscribe-PD-Q32025.indd 65

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PM

THE CHALLENGE

BARGING IN, PART TWO How Archer’s Barging Services delivers construction materials on two lakes in Ontario’s Muskoka region THE CHALLENGE Deliver construction products to builders on Lake Muskoka and Lake Rosseau

THE PRO DEALER Any of the lumberyards and building materials yards in the region

HISTORY OF THE FIRM The firm is some 80 years old and has passed through four generations

THE BOSS John Archer, 70, is the president. He’s helped by his grandsons Owen, 17, and Oliver, 15

“

How long have I been doing this? Too long.

I’m 70 years of age!

—JOHN ARCHER PRESIDENT, ARCHER’S BARGING SERVICES Bracebridge, Ontario

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2025-08-05 9:54 M

LOOSEFILL INSULATION

FINISHING / CORNERS

SOUNDPROOFING PANEL

ROOFING SHINGLES

SHAKE SIDING

INSULATION

PVC WINDOWS & PATIO DOORS

GYPSUM

INTERIOR

RAINWARE SYSTEMS

VINYL & ALUMINUM GUTTER SYSTEMS

GLASROC® TILE BACKER

INSULATION PANEL

SIDING & TRIMS VINYL, ALUMINUM, ENGINEERED WOOD

HOUSEWRAP

GLASROC® SHEATHING

MD

CEILINGS/ GRID

MILLWORK MD

STONE VENEER

BASEMENT

MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME

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Castle Building Centres has worked alongside building professionals for over 60 years. Our 300+ locations across Canada represent a national network of retailers devoted to supporting the growth of their communities.

Together… We Build Communities

Visit Castle.ca to find a local Castle Building Centres location near you.

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