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Eight awards recognizing Canadian hardware and home improvement retailers were presented at a gala during the annual Hardlines Conference. The winners represent businesses and individuals in categories ranging from small home centres to large-format retail and community leadership.
Eight Canadian retailers and retail leaders were recognized at the 34th Annual Outstanding Retailer Awards, presented at a gala dinner during the annual Hardlines Conference at Ottawa’s Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel. The awards cover different hardware and home improvement formats, from independent hardware stores to large-surface retail and community leadership.
The winners were selected from nominees submitted from across Canada, according to Hardware Retailing. The awards span eight categories: Best Hardware Store; building supply or home centre under 15,000 square feet; building supply or home centre over 15,000 square feet; Pro Dealer of the Year; Best Large Surface Retailer; Retail Spirit Award; Young Retailer of the Year; and the Marc Robichaud Community Leader award.
Kinlock Home Hardware in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, won Best Hardware Store. BMR Pro Matériaux Rouyn-Noranda in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, took the under-15,000-square-foot home centre category, while Meadow Lake Home Hardware Building Centre in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, won the category for larger centres. Security Building Supplies, a TIMBER MART dealer in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, was named Pro Dealer of the Year.
The remaining awards went to RONA+ Saint-Hubert in Saint-Hubert, Quebec, for Best Large Surface Retailer; Ouellette Bros. Building Supplies, part of Castle Building Centres Group, in Fort St. James, British Columbia, for the Retail Spirit Award; and Maxime Bossinotte of Matériaux Direct, a TIMBER MART dealer in La Pocatière, Quebec, as Young Retailer of the Year. Shelburne Home Hardware Building Centre in Shelburne, Ontario, received the Marc Robichaud Community Leader award.
Recognition Across Retail Formats
The awards offer a snapshot of the range of businesses serving Canadian home improvement customers. This year’s list includes retailers in five provinces and recognizes different store sizes, dealer models and individual contributions, rather than a single national chain or retail format.
For the recipients, the recognition can raise the profile of their stores and teams among industry peers and suppliers. The awards also highlight the business areas the program says it evaluates: business practices, customer relations, innovation and niche marketing. The source does not provide sales figures or other measures showing how the winners compare commercially with other retailers.
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How the Awards Select Winners
The Outstanding Retailer Awards are presented as part of the annual Hardlines Conference, a gathering for suppliers and retailers in Canada’s home improvement sector. The awards recognize retailers across categories designed for different store formats, alongside individual awards for a young retailer and community leadership.
Hardware Retailing reported that nominees came from every part of Canada and described the candidate field as high quality. It said honorees were chosen for performance in several areas, including customer relations and innovation. The report lists the category winners and award sponsors, but does not describe the judging process, nomination totals or scoring criteria in detail.
“This is a year when we especially celebrate Canadian home improvement retailers, which are the best in the world.”
— David Chestnut, president and publisher of Hardlines Inc.
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Judging Details Not Published
The report identifies the winners and the broad qualities used to select honorees, but it does not state how many retailers were nominated, who served as judges, or how the categories were scored. It also provides no financial or operational data to compare the winners with other Canadian retailers. The source does not specify whether the awards include additional recognition beyond the eight listed categories.
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Winners Return to Their Markets
The awards report does not announce further ceremonies, follow-up events or changes to the program. The immediate next step for the recipients is to return to their businesses with recognition from the industry gathering. Further details about the award process or future editions would depend on announcements from Hardlines and the conference organizers.
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Key Questions
Where were the 2026 Outstanding Retailer Awards presented?
The awards were presented at a gala dinner during the annual Hardlines Conference at the Fairmont Château Laurier Hotel in Ottawa.
How many award categories were reported?
The report lists eight categories, covering hardware stores, home centres, a pro dealer, large-surface retail, retail spirit, young retail leadership and community leadership.
Which retailer won Best Hardware Store?
Kinlock Home Hardware in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, received the Best Hardware Store award.
How were the winners selected?
The report says honorees were selected from nominees submitted from across Canada and chosen for areas including business practices, customer relations, innovation and niche marketing. It does not publish the judging panel or detailed scoring method.
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