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

In May 2000, we reported that Castle had grown its membership once again in Newfoundland and Labrador. Castle member Notre Dame Agencies had acquired a former Hickman’s yard in Corner Brook giving Notre Dame 11 stores at the time. Hickman’s had three stores remaining in the province. Those would be sold to Chester Dawe Ltd. the following year. Chester Dawe would be sold to RONA in 2006 and the stores would become corporate stores. RONA closed them all and exited the province in 2019.

Scott Smith has been named the new VP of human resources for The Home Depot Canada. Smith transferred to Canada from The Home Depot in Atlanta, where he was working at the company’s Store Support Centre as the VP of compensation, benefits and HR operations.

Prior to The Home Depot, Scott held HR, finance, and compensation positions at Gap Inc. and Huttig Building Products.

Small businesses owners are concerned that the U.S.-Canada trade dispute will be disruptive, according to a new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

Fifty-eight percent of small business owners are concerned about the impact of the trade-war, while 40 percent expect summer tourism revenue to remain the same as last year.

“With more Canadians looking to stay within the country this summer, now is a great opportunity to explore our local businesses and communities and keep the loonies local. Every time Canadians choose to shop at a local small business, 66 cents of every dollar stays in the local economy,” said Louis-Philippe Gauthier, CFIB’s VP for the Atlantic region.

RONA Woodlawn in Ottawa has held its grand opening after being acquired last summer by affiliate dealer Andrew Doidge, president and CEO of Doidge Building Centres Ltd. Leaders from RONA’s dealer support team, partners, and the RONA Woodlawn team gathered for a traditional board-cutting ceremony. The store now offers free estimates and same-day delivery, with a brand-new showroom to display special-order products.

The latest edition of Hardlines HR Advisor hits inboxes this week. In this issue, we explore efforts to make job sites safe for women and the impact of AI on the workplace. HR Advisor is monthly and it’s free: click here to sign up today!

Castle Building Centres Group has welcomed a new member in the Calgary area. Sky Vision Lumber Inc. has two locations, in Calgary and Crossfield, Alta. Founder and owner Rajesh Goyal and GM Mandeep Singh were looking to maintain their independence while benefiting from the stability of a buying group affiliation.

Federated Co-operatives Ltd. has announced that 14 community projects will receive funding through the Co-op Community Spaces program. In its eleventh year, Co-op Community Spaces will invest a total of $1 million in local projects in communities across Western Canada. They include accessibility upgrades to a theatre in Vernon, B.C.; an outdoor rec hub in Rocky Mountain House, Alta.; and a walking and healing path in Okanese First Nation, Sask.

Saint-Gobain’s CertainTeed Canada has announced the Canadian launch of Lanaé, what it calls a “ground-breaking sustainable glass fibre insulation.”

The insulation is manufactured at CertainTeed’s insulation facilities in Redcliffe, Alta., and Ottawa, Ont. “It is formulated with a bio-based binder that is formaldehyde-free, significantly reducing environmental impact while maintaining superior thermal performance and acoustic comfort,” Saint-Gobain said in a release.

Castle Building Centres Group and its community donated $47,134.00 to the IWK Health Centre on June 1, via a telethon in Atlantic Canada held on CTV. The IWK Health Centre is a major children’s and women’s hospital in Halifax, N.S. “Castle members from the Maritimes region were proud to be part of this historic fundraising event,” the group said in a release. In total, more than $8.3 million was raised for the cause by the 41st annual IWK Telethon. (Shown with Castle’s cheque to IWK is Terry Mulock, Castle business development manager for the Maritimes, and Steve Foran, the Castle member/dealer at Chester Building Supplies.)

IKEA Canada has transformed its IKEA Family rewards program to offer members a more personalized experience tailored to their unique home furnishing needs.

With the rewards from IKEA Family, members can now collect points, symbolized by the iconic Allen key, whenever they interact and shop with IKEA. These points can be redeemed for a variety of rewards, including product discounts, delivery, and assembly services, and even free food in its restaurant.