The six-month trend in housing starts decreased 0.7 percent in March to 235,316 units, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC). The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 3.3 percent in March (214,155 units) compared to February (221,405 units).

Actual housing starts were down 12.5 percent year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater, with 14,924 units recorded in March, compared to 17,052 in March 2024.

Giant Tiger Stores Limited has launched on-demand delivery available through new national partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats. Available at more than 200 Giant Tiger stores across Canada, the partnership will allow customers to Giant Tiger’s full range of products including family fashion, grocery, health and beauty products, and household essentials.

By expanding its availability to additional easy-to-use platforms, Giant Tiger stated that it will be able to meet market dynamics and customer demand for faster, more convenient shopping options.

BMR has announced the appointment of Martin-Charles Pilon as vice-president of information technology effective April 30. He will report to Antonio Di Pasquale, chief executive officer of operations.

“I am delighted that Martin-Charles has chosen to join the BMR family and take on the exciting challenges that await us. As we embark on a major transformation and roll out our new strategic plan, information technology will play a central role in the implementation of the many initiatives to come,” said Di Pasquale. “Martin-Charles’ extensive experience will undoubtedly be a valuable asset in supporting this evolution.”

RONA inc. has announced the addition of Coopérative de Saint-Quentin hardware store in Saint-Quentin., N.B., to its network of affiliated dealers. “La Coopérative de Saint-Quentin has been part of the community for over 85 years,” GM Michelle Dubé (pictured, centre) said in a release. “With a hardware store and a grocery store under the same roof, our goal is to offer the best services in the region.”

With an area covering 12,000 square feet, a vast indoor yard for lumber and building materials, and a large outdoor lumberyard, the store already has many features that cater to the region’s pro customers. An upgraded product selection and a pro desk are among the new offerings it will showcase under RONA.

Leger, a Montreal-based market research company, has announced Canada’s 10 most admired companies. Costco received top spot on the list, followed by Sony and Samsung. Canadian Tire took fifth spot, while Dollarama and Home Depot took the 8th and 9th spot respectively.

In total, 326 companies from 30 business sectors were assessed to adequately represent the players in the various business sectors surveyed.

“As geopolitical and economic pressures grow, Canadians are putting Canada first—prioritizing homegrown values, products, and companies,” said Lisa Covens, senior vice-president of Leger, and Andrew Enns, executive vice-president of the firm, in a joint statement.

The construction industry is showing signs of returning to typical labour market conditions. Data from the March 2025 Build Force Canada Labour Force Survey finds several key metrics tracking higher over the past 12 months. Compared with March 2024, the industry’s labour force rose by 43,300 workers (2.6 percent). However, employment increased by only 24,300 (1.6 percent), which contributed to a year-over-year increase in the unemployment rate, from 7.3 percent in March of 2024 to 8.2 percent in 2025.

The higher unemployment rate suggests the industry may be returning to more typical levels of activity, particularly compared with the extremely tight labour markets seen in recent years, according to Build Force Canada.

The CHPTA is seeking nominations for the Canadian Hardware and Housewares Industry Hall of Fame. The award is given to an individual in recognition from his or her peers for outstanding achievement, service and contribution to the Canadian hardware and housewares industry over a long career. Nominations can be submitted on the CHPTA website.

Home Hardware has partnered with Canoe Procurement Group of Canada , a non-profit public sector buying group. Canoe grants its public sector members access to trusted suppliers, like Home Hardware – who are invested in their success and ready to build long-term, meaningful relationships.

Participating Home Dealers will gain access to Canoe’s six thousand public service partners across Canada, creating new opportunities to work with public sector entities in their own communities.

Richelieu Hardware reported Q1 sales of $441.7 million, up $34.8 million or 8.6 percent from $406.9 million in the comparable period of 2024. Net earnings of $14.7 million were down 5.2 percent from a year earlier.

“Despite the headwinds expected from the tariffs imposed by the U.S. government, Richelieu is well-positioned to navigate these changes,” CEO Richard Lord said in a statement, “with less than 20 percent of its products imported from China to the U.S.”

At least four prospective bidders have expressed interest in acquiring part of Hudson Bay Co.’s assets, The Globe and Mail reports. In addition to its retail operations, HBC’s intellectual property—such as the striped design on its famous point blankets—and its 78 percent stake in a joint venture with RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust could attract bids. So far, only B.C. mall magnate Weihong Liu has publicly mooted the idea of bidding. The deadline for proposals is April 30.