Hardlines Home Improvement Quarterly

By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 11, 2026 Dulux’s 2027 Colour of the Year is “Birthday Cake,” a “grounded, comforting blush pink [that] adds subtle sophistication and depth to living spaces while emitting a feeling of calm and tranquility.” In a release, senior brand manager Victoria Mastroianni described pale pink as comforting and celebratory. The full palette includes “Zen” powder blue, “Pineapple Delight” mid-toned yellow and “Beachy Keen” orange-infused tan.

By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 11, 2026 Saint-Gobain Canada is launching its new CertainTeed Recycle program in Quebec to help the construction industry divert gypsum waste from landfills. A permit from the province’s environment ministry allows the program, once it grows to full capacity, redirect up to 80,000 tonnes of gypsum waste per year.

By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 10, 2026 BeautiTone, Home Hardware Stores Ltd.’s paint business, has unveiled its 2027 Colour of the Year. “Rosewater” is described as “a delicate, luminous pink that brings warmth, softness and a sense of restorative calm to interior spaces.” It headlines the 2027 Echoes of Earth Colour Trends palette, “a collection inspired by nature’s ability to restore balance and create welcoming, personal spaces.” Most Recent Most Read Most Read

Throwback Thursday is a weekly feature in which we dip into the archive of the Hardlines Weekly Report. Exactly 25 years ago, on Sept. 10, 2001, we reported that Totem Building Supplies had opened its 13th store—this one in Camrose, Alta. “The 30,000-square-foot outlet is the second Totem store of its kind to go into a smaller community,” we wrote. “Camrose has a population of just over 15,000.

BMR has appointed John-Sebastian Bignell as vice-president of operations, reporting to CEO Charles Grégoire-Béliveau effective Sept. 21. Bignell boasts more than 25 years of experience in supply chains across the manufacturing, food and retail sectors. Most recently, he held a series of leadership positions over seven years at Lactalis Canada, where he has been vice-president of logistics since 2024.

if (!is_user_logged_in()) { ?> } ?> Skip to main content Skip to footer By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 9, 2026 Évolution Distribution has announced that Karim Marois Azam (pictured) will take over as senior director from Martin Ménard, who is retiring before the year’s end. The two will work together over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.

RONA inc. is renewing its partnership with Skilled Trades College (STC) for a second year. The goal of the collaboration is to support the next generation of skilled trades professionals by helping them access training programs and enter the workforce. As part of this agreement, RONA is again investing $40,000 in the RONA Future Trades Bursary program, which helps reduce financial barriers that can hinder access to specialized training.

By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 9, 2026 IKEA Canada is introducing the banner’s compact store format to the country with a grand opening in London, Ont., on Sept. 29. The store will comprise some 43,000 square feet at White Oaks Mall and will include a self-serve warehouse, where some 400 furniture products will be available for immediate takeaway. It will operate in tandem with the neighbouring plan-and-order and pickup points in London. Most Recent Most Read Most Read

By Geoffrey McLarney Published: September 8, 2026 Make it Zero, a project which brings together DIY retailers and suppliers from around the world to pursue efforts to decarbonize the home improvement industry, has been nominated for the Reuters Events Global Sustainability Awards in the Partnership of the Year Award category. The program was developed by the European DIY Retailers Association/Global Home Improvement Network (EDRA/GHIN). The winners will be announced on Oct. 21.

The latest edition of Hardlines Dealer News lands in subscribers’ inboxes tomorrow. In this issue, we look at hardware retailers’ “modest” gains during this year, an Ontario Home Hardware consortium’s buy-local campaign, and why you need to be at this year’s Hardlines Conference. Hardlines Dealer News is monthly and it’s free: click here to subscribe now!