IKEA Canada hosted a groundbreaking ceremony yesterday at the location of its future Customer Distribution Centre (CDC) and collection point in Hamilton, Ont. The new facility will be part of a $400 million-plus investment by IKEA to reinforce its supply chain. The CDC will be 483,285 square feet in size. IKEA claims that, once certified, it will be among the five largest zero-carbon industrial buildings in Ontario.

Watson Building Supplies, a distributor of construction materials, and Blair Building Materials, a diversified material supplier, have announced the opening of a location in Owen Sound, Ont. The new outlet will feature a wide assortment of products including drywall, insulation, roofing, ceiling systems, and related accessories, in addition to the companies’ existing exterior product lines.

This location has a 40,000-square-foot drive-through warehouse, contractor shop, large showroom, and a two-acre yard to support exterior products. The new location is at 1875 16th Avenue E., Owen Sound, Ont.

The countdown is on to the National Hardware Show, happening March 18 to 20 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The annual event brings together exhibitors from across the world, showcasing the latest innovations and technology from the home improvement industry.

Attendees will also be able to participate in educational programs and seminars on marketing, content creation, business growth and more. Hardlines is a proud media partner of NHS and will be bringing our readers full coverage of the event. Learn more about the NHS by clicking here.

Lumber industry observers say that Canadian softwood still has an advantage over American product despite the imposition of U.S. tariffs, the Globe and Mail reports. That advantage is its superior quality: Canadian spruce, pine, and fir two-by-fours is lighter and weight and more durable than American pine.

“Southern yellow pine has wider growth rings. Therefore, it twists more and it warps and splits more easily,” Josh Sawatzky, owner of Madera Forest Products in Acheson, Alta., told the paper.

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice’s hearings on the Hudson’s Bay Co. adjourned for the day yesterday without a final answer on the historic retailer’s fate. Counsel for HBC were seeking to initiate liquidation sales as early as today, arguing that it was the only way forward without new financing.

Instead, Justice Peter J. Osborne told the company and its landlords to continue negotiations, cautioning that selling off assets too soon could foreclose on any chance of preserving a portion of the business. A ruling could be issued as early as this afternoon. Talks between HBC and landlords aimed at keeping about half of the chain’s stores through rent waivers collapsed last week.

The latest edition of Hardlines HR Advisor hits inboxes tomorrow. In this issue, we look at how Hardlines can help you recruit your next hire, making job postings compliant with human rights legislation, and leveraging employees’ strengths. HR Advisor is monthly and it’s free: click here to sign up today!

To help customers find Canadian-made goods faster, Kent Building Supplies recently added a “Made in Canada” icon to its digital price labels. The store follows suit to other retailers, such as Loblaws, which has also placed similar labels to mark Canadian products on shelves.

Rebecca Dumais

Sales of existing Canadian homes dropped by 9.8 percent month-over-month in February 2025, according to the Canadian Real Estate Association. That was the lowest level for home sales since November 2023, and the largest month-over-month decline in activity since May 2022. Actual (not seasonally adjusted) monthly activity came in 10.4 percent below February 2024.

Investment in building construction rose by 1.8 percent to $22.1 billion in January, StatCan reports. The residential sector increased 2.3 percent to $15.4 billion. Single-family home investment declined $155.5 million to $7.2 billion in January, with declines recorded in eight provinces and one territory.

The six-month trend in housing starts increased 1.1 percent in February to 239,382 units, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts decreased 4.0 percent in February to 229,030 units, compared to 239,322 unit in January. Urban starts were down 17 percent year-over-year.