Amid Tariff Dustup, RONA Pivots to Canadian-made Goods

Hard-nosed tariffs imposed on Canadian goods may have been postponed until April 2, but RONA, one of Canada's largest hardware and home improvement retailers, is making a play for more locally sourced products.  

According to a news release, the company says it will be highlighting over 6,500 Canadian-made products and will "make a concerted effort" to promote these items in RONA+ and RONA stores, as well as online at rona.ca. The company, which has over 425 corporate and affiliate stores across Canada, says it's responding to a growing demand from consumers and contractors who want to prioritize local products. 

“We’ve always had a strong selection of Canadian-made products. In fact, less than 10 percent of our supply comes directly from the United States. The challenge was primarily about making these products more visible. To help consumers choose Canadian-made products, they need to be clearly identified, well-organized and prominently displayed. This is where our partnership with ’Well Made Here’ truly makes a difference. Thousands of additional products have now been endorsed under the ’Well Made Here’ program, addressing the need to make it easier for consumers to find Canadian-made products,” says J.P. Towner, president and CEO of RONA inc.

“This initiative from RONA comes at a crucial time when the country is facing a critical need for construction and renovation, while tariff dispute with the United States looms. Our manufacturers need this kind of support and visibility now more than ever. We hope residential homeowners and construction contractors will discover Canadian brands and remain loyal to them beyond these challenging times,” says Richard Darveau, president and CEO of “Well Made Here.”

RONA is reaffirming its commitment to supporting Canadian manufacturers by strengthening its partnership with “Well Made Here,” a program RONA has been involved with since its creation. The program features a distinctive label to help consumers easily identify Canadian-made products in stores. In the coming weeks, RONA will apply this label to an additional 5,000 products that meet the program’s standards, developed by the Québec Association of Hardware and Building Materials (AQMAT). These products will bear the “Well Made Here” seal both in-store and online.

To be considered “Well Made Here,” products must meet the following three criteria:

• Compliance with Canadian construction codes, regulations and all other legal requirements.
• At least 51 percent of the direct production or manufacturing costs must have been incurred in Canada.
• The final substantial transformation of the product must have occurred in Canada.

In addition, RONA plans to train its in-store staff in the coming weeks to ensure they are better equipped to guide customers in choosing “Well Made Here” products.

“Now more than ever, RONA’s legacy–a company founded by independent dealers here in Canada–reminds us that we can achieve great things when we work together. RONA was founded in Canada 85 years ago, our head office is located on Montréal’s South Shore, our leadership team is entirely Canadian, and we employ nearly 21,000 people across the country. Nearly half of our store network consists of affiliate stores owned by entrepreneurs deeply rooted in their communities, and who also employ thousands of Canadians. I am incredibly proud to see our teams, vendors and partners come together during this uncertain time to better showcase Canadian-made products,” says Towner.