RONA announced its has partnered with two Canadian NHL teams for the 2024-2025 season: the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers. The company, which has supported the Montreal Canadiens since 1993, is carrying on the tradition this year and will be its official game co-presenter on the Montreal-based RDS sports channel. RONA also confirmed it will soon be launching a new sponsorship program for its employees’ children’s hockey teams.

ODL Inc. has named Daniel Custodio as VP of sales in Canada. Custodio will report to Scot Harder, the building products supplier’s VP of pro channel and custom sales. Prior to joining ODL, he held leadership positions at Cornerstone Building Brands. Custodio is a graduate of McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business.

Investment in building construction decreased 1.7 percent to $20.9 billion in July, according to StatCan, following increases in May and June. Year over year, investment in building construction rose 7.0 percent in July. Both the residential and non-residential sectors posted declines in July.

Residential construction spending was down by 2.2 percent or $330 million to $14.6 billion in July. Overall, single-family home investment decreased 2.2 percent or $148.9 million to $6.7 billion, with increases logged only in Saskatchewan and Nunavut.

BMR Group has announced that member Matériaux de construction Harry Rivest & Fils has acquired a new store in St-Calixte, Que. Olivier Moreau and Ross Rivest are adding the location to their existing store in Sainte-Julienne. After several decades in business, the 3,500-square-foot Matériaux de construction St-Calixte joined BMR on Sept. 4.

The Onion Lake Group of Companies, owner of Castle location All Nations Building Supply in Onion Lake, Sask., has acquired T&L Custom Cabinets GP in Lloydminster, Alta. T&L has served the area since 1987. Among its specialties is the design of custom kitchens and cabinets.

Home Hardware Stores Ltd. recognized 18 stores last week in its Proud of My Home Achievement Awards. The awards ceremony took place during the group’s Homecoming buying event in Toronto. Shepherd’s Home Hardware Building Centre in Armstrong, B.C., took home the annual Walter J. Hachborn Store of the Year Award. Dealer-owners Kyle Melvin and Brett Melvin also received the nod for Best Home Hardware Building Centre – Western Region. A full list of winners is online.

The annualized rate of housing starts in Canada fell by 22 percent in August to 217,405 units, StatCan reports, down from 279,804 units in July. In urban centres, there have been 149,922 actual housing starts year-to-date between January and August. That compares to 143,229 for the same period in 2023, meaning actual housing starts are currently five percent higher this year.

The latest edition of Hardlines HR Advisor hits inboxes tomorrow. In this issue, we look at sensory-friendly store hours, the use of body camera technology to protect retail managers, and how to avoid a summer slump. HR Advisor is monthly and it’s free: click here to sign up today!

RONA inc. will mark its 85th anniversary next month, and it’s using the occasion to consolidate its brand identity with the elimination of the Réno-Dépôt banner. On Oct. 10, it will convert the 16 remaining Réno-Dépôt stores to the RONA+ banner.

In addition, RONA L’Entrepôt in Quebec City and RONA Home & Garden Winnipeg will also move to RONA+. Grand opening celebrations will be held in some of these stores on Oct. 10, just four days after the anniversary of RONA’s founding in 1939.

TIMBER MART has announced Cathy Tétreault as its 2024 Local Leader of the Year. She will receive an $18,000 grant for her local community to help educate and advocate for youth. Tétreault was nominated by her local TIMBER MART store, Matériaux Audet in Quebec City, for her work as director of Maison des jeunes de Duberger. She is also the founder of Centre Cyber-aide, which specializes in preventing cyber addiction and cyberbullying.