By The Canadian Press / James Peters

Lowe’s closures include Rona block plant on Tk’emlups Reserve

Nov 5, 2018 | 10:43 AM

KAMLOOPS — Lowe’s Companies Inc. is reducing its Canadian footprint by closing 31 properties across the country, including a plant on the Tk’emlups Reserve, in a bid to streamline its business.

The home improvement company said Monday in addition to closing 27 stores, it will also shutter two regional support centres in Mississauga, Ont. and St. John’s, N.L., a truss plant in St. John’s, N.L. and a block plant in Kamloops as part of a plan to focus instead on the most profitable parts of its business.

The retail Rona store on Mount Paul Way in Kamloops will remain open.

Among the 27 stores set to close by the end of January are nine in Ontario, nine in Quebec, six in Newfoundland and Labrador, two in Alberta and one in British Columbia.

Sylvain Prud’homme, chief executive of Lowe’s Canada, did not say how many employees would be affected by the closures, but said the changes will allow the company to improve collaboration between its banners to better serve customers.

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“Everything will be done to ensure a smooth transition until the stores are closed, and Lowe’s Canada will support impacted employees, including by transferring eligible employees to other locations within our network whenever possible,” Prud’homme said in a statement.

In addition to the 31 locations the brand is closing in Canada, it will also axe 20 stores in the U.S.

The Canadian closures amount to a reduction of about three per cent of the brand’s total retail network square footage.

The company currently has 68 Lowe’s and 430 Rona stores in the country – part of its network of 2,390 home improvement locations across North America, including Reno-Depot, Dick’s Lumber, Contractor First and Ace locations it also owns.