See it and Sell it First at ASI Show Orlando – January 4-6, 2025.   Register Now.

Canadian News March 24, 2020

Canadian Promo Firms Prepare for Provincial Closures

Ontario and Quebec have ordered nonessential businesses to close their doors for two weeks. It’s impacting promo companies as well.

By  Sara Lavenduski

In Canada’s latest move to contain the spread of coronavirus, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has given “nonessential” businesses until 11:59pm EST on March 24 to close. Premier François Legault has ordered the same for neighboring Quebec, with businesses ordered to be shuttered until April 13, though remote work will be allowed to continue in both provinces.

Canadian Coronavirus Crisis

The news comes as the number of positive cases grew exponentially over the weekend. “Today we are entering a new stage in this battle against the coronavirus,” said Legault from Quebec City on March 23. “There is reason to believe that there is beginning to be community transmission. …We are putting Quebec on pause.”

For promo firms in the region, it’s meant major adjustments with few certainties. Christine Courtemanche, vice president of Lineaire Infographie Inc. (asi/253727) in Laval, a Montreal suburb, told ASI Canada that, while they’re still busy with orders, she’s monitoring the situation day by day. “We’re busy because people are staying home and shopping online,” she said. “We don’t have any plan other than to wait for the end of this. It’s frustrating though that people seem to have difficulty understanding that if we all stay home for 14 days, it should be the end of the spread.”

Montreal-based Top 40 supplier Spector & Co. (asi/88660) has designed a convenient Status Dashboard that’s updated daily to quickly show customers what’s operational. Meanwhile, FARO Products (asi/53697) in Pointe-Claire, QC, will be shutting its production facility until April 13. “Quote requests, general inquiries and orders received will be processed and produced as quickly as possible,” said the company in a statement. “Although our Asian factories continue to slowly return to full operation, any orders completed will only be shipped to our customers following the re-opening of our facility.”

Carol deVille, owner of The Branding Company in Brantford, ON, told ASI Canada they planned a week ago to be able to send all employees home to work eventually; last week, a small staff remained at the head office and worked within safety guidelines set by the Ontario government. In the wake of Premier Ford’s announcement, all employees are now working remotely.

“All staff will take care of what they can from home and manage their families and their health first and comply with the orders set by Ontario and Canada,” said deVille. “We’re hopeful that if everyone works together to get through what is ahead – and unfortunately, there are lots of unknowns – we’ll all triumph together.”

In Toronto, WS & Co., parent company of apparel wholesaler Redwood Classics (asi/81627), has closed for two weeks in accordance with Premier Ford’s order. However, a small team of production staff is manufacturing fabric masks for a local hospital. While they’re not meant to be used in the place of surgical or procedural masks, the machine-washable fabric pieces are ideal for those who need to be within six feet of others, particularly vulnerable members of the population.

STORMTECH Performance Apparel (asi/89869) in Burnaby, BC, which has not yet ordered the closure of nonessential businesses, has canceled all travel, maintains a small in-office workforce at its distribution and administrative offices with most employees working remotely and continues to fulfill orders with little interruption. They continue to monitor government mandates and will adjust as necessary.

“While face-to-face meetings are no longer taking place, we will be ramping up the development of digital marketing and training materials to ensure a safe and effective means of communication with our customers,” said CEO Blake Annable in a statement. “We will also be looking at innovative sampling strategies to help distributors get products directly to their end consumers.”

Concord, ON-based Debco (asi/48885), part of Top 40 supplier HPG (asi/61966), also anticipated the closures by moving most employees to a remote setup. With the new order from Premier Ford, the company’s facility will be closed for the next two weeks.

“We’re obviously concerned about the closure, but even more concerned with the health of our employees and the health of society at large, so we’re happy to do our part,” said marketing manager Daniel Baker. “The sooner we tackle this thing head-on, the sooner we can flatten the curve and get back to our new normal. It’ll take diligence and dedication, but we’ll take direction from our governmental leadership, trusting that they’re informed by health experts, and work to be in total compliance.”

Jamie McCabe, president of McCabe Promotional Advertising (asi/264901) in London, ON, had to cut his trip to Florida short and is currently in self-isolation as a precaution. He told ASI Canada a friend owns a piece of land next to their local hospital, and she’s opened it up as a parking area for RVs and trailers for healthcare workers to use as a rest area between shifts instead of trying to catch some shuteye in the hospital hallways. She’s also sourced and donated thousands of masks, gowns and other supplies.

“In our business, multiple times a day orders are canceled or put on hold for the time being,” said McCabe. “But I’ve never been prouder of my team. We’ve come together and committed to working as hard as we can to make it through to the other side of this.”

Despite the major disruptions and adjustments, Canadian optimism pervades promo companies’ outlook on the days and weeks to come. “I’m in awe of our ability to come together and do what we need to do to fight this disease, despite the restriction to personal liberty and risk to income,” said Baker. “It gives me comfort. It’s proof that we’re able to come together in times of need. I’m imbued with a new sense of faith in our society, and that makes me think that we can also come together when this crisis ends – and it will end – and deal with any economic consequences that arise from it.”

DeVille added that, in the face of significant challenges, this is an opportunity for promo companies to figure out how to continue moving forward. “It’s time to be the most creative you can be, to stick together, support each other and stay focused and safe,” she said. “Create a team approach that allows for the unknown, stay positive and most of all, do your part to protect yourselves, family, neighbor, team, community and tribe. We all have an opportunity here to lead.”