Celebrating Canada should also mean buying Canadian at the hardware store

Although the renovation centers are all closed on Canada Day, the management of the “Well Made Here” program has opted to elicit the symbolism of this day in order to address a burning question: why do customers think local when it comes to doing groceries, but not when shopping at the hardware store?

To encourage citizens, hardware store employees, retailer owners and buyers from the banners to reflect on their behaviour, a series of messages will be communicated on July 1st or around this date.

Two noteworthy actions will take shape in the form of special sections published in reputable business periodicals: a minimum of 16 pages in French in the AQMAT Magazine and in English in Home Improvement Retailing Magazine.

The editorial teams of both publications will relate the origins of the program, the motivations of the founders, examples of accredited products and manufacturer engagement, as well as testimonials from the presidents and CEOs of banners and buying groups.

The two special feature sections will also be available in web format.

On July 1, also in both languages, more than 13,000 executives and industry professionals will receive this powerful message in their inbox: “Celebrating Canada should also mean buying Canadian at the hardware store”. By clicking on this “e-blast”, Internet users will land on a summary of the reasons for positively discriminating in favour of hardware items and building materials produced at local manufacturing sites and meeting construction codes.

Always on the same holiday, if not the day before or the next day, an open letter signed Richard Darveau, President and CEO of the program, published in two major daily newspapers (one French-language and one English-language), will hammer the point regarding the matter of the population purchasing Canadian. Beforehand, elected officials at all levels of government will have received the same message from “Well Made Here” management.

Taken together, these media efforts should prepare the ground for partnership negotiations with the federal government, in addition to encouraging other manufacturers to follow suit.

In parallel with these activities carried out by program staff, the partner banners are also levelling up. Click here to find out about measures taken by or planned by Lowe’s Canada and TORBSA.