ABSDA, in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association, will hold a two-hour webinar on mental health education in the workplace. The date is May 28, and the webinar will take place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please email the ABSDA.

At Canadian Tire Corp., revenue was $3.52 billion, down 4.9 percent from $3.71 billion in the same period last year. Comparable sales for the whole company were down 1.6 percent, while comps at Canadian Tire Retail stores were down only 0.6 percent. Essential categories at CTR were up two percent, led by automotive. Discretionary categories were down overall but seasonal and gardening categories grew.

Throwback Thursday is a regular weekly feature in which we dip into the archives of the Hardlines Weekly Report.

It’s incredible how far online search has come in a decade. In our May 12, 2014, edition of the Hardlines Weekly Report, we reported on a partnership between Lowe’s U.S. and the contractor lead referral service, Porch.com. We reported that Porch.com would be an “in-store resource to help homeowners find the right contractors and installers for projects not covered by Lowe’s current installation services.” A website as an “in store resource”?

Canadian Tire is holding what it calls “our biggest rewards event of the season” with a series of promotions that will give shoppers the chance to earn multiple rewards, called stacking, with the “Triangle Max Stack Event.” From May 9 to May 16, Triangle Rewards members have access to savings in-store and online across three CT banners, Canadian Tire, Mark’s, and Sport Chek.

According to a release, “This one-of-a-kind event allows Canadians to purchase amazing items at reduced prices, stack exclusive offers on select products and earn 15x to 50x bonus CT money that they can then use towards the purchase of other items across their favourite Canadian Tire banner store.”

RONA has established the dates for this year’s Connexia dealer event. This third consecutive annual edition will be held on October 8 and 9. Affiliated dealers from across the country will gather at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal for a day of networking with meetings and workshops. These will be followed by a trade show for affiliates only, featuring selected RONA vendors who will present their new products for 2025.

McMunn & Yates, the Dauphin, Man.-based building supply chain, is wrapping up grand opening events at the three stores it acquired from Canadian Lumber last May. The southern Manitoba stores,  which are in Winkler, Morden, and Altona, were acquired from former owners Henry and Brenda Friesen.

Western Forest Products Inc. reported a net loss of $8.0 million in the first quarter of 2024, compared to a $17.7 million loss a year earlier. Revenues of $239.5 million were down from $263.8 million in the comparable period of 2023. At the same time, the company announced the indefinite curtailment of its Alberni Pacific Division facility.

Taiga Building Products’ Kelowna Branch seeks a full-time Inside Sales Representative. Responsibilities include maximizing sales, managing customer relationships, and leading product categories in a creative, collaborative environment. For more details, check out our Hardlines Classifieds page!

Online furniture and home décor seller Wayfair Inc. is opening its first bricks-and-mortar store. The 150,000-square-foot location is located in Edens Plaza in Wilmette, Ill. The grand opening will be on May 23. Besides furniture, home decor, housewares, and home improvement products, the store has an onsite restaurant.

AD reports that member sales in the first three months of 2024 hit a record $19.5 billion, up seven percent across AD’s 14 divisions in three countries. Same-store sales increased by two percent in Canada, three percent in the U.S., and five percent in Mexico. Member purchases grew by two percent to $4.7 billion.