TORONTO - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) awarded 18 prestigious industry awards at the annual Excellence in Retailing Awards Dinner last night. These awards recognize the retail industry's top achievers and were presented as part of STORE 2006 - Canada's Retail Conference.

"This year, the nominations for all of the Excellence in Retailing Awards are not only very impressive, but they reflect the innovation, creativity and dedication of retailers from coast-to-coast," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "No matter what size, retailers in this country are doing some amazing things and RCC is proud to showcase the achievements of our award winners and nominees at this gala event before their peers."

AWARDS OF DISTINCTION

Edward Kennedy, President and CEO of Winnipeg-based, The North West Company, accepted the 2006 Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year award. This award recognizes a retailer who has consistently demonstrated community commitment and contributed positively to greater society.

Herschel Segal, Chairman, CEO and Founder of Montreal-based, Le Château Inc., was honoured with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to retailers who dedicate their lives to the betterment of retail in Canada. Nominees have no less than 25 years of consecutive service at an executive position in the retail sector.

The Visa Ambassador Award went to independent Edmonton retailer, Stasia Nawrocki of Dansk Gifts, in recognition of her contribution to her community and to the retail industry in general.

EXCELLENCE IN RETAILING AWARDS

In addition to these Awards of Distinction, retailers take part by submitting entries into other award categories, which are chosen by an industry panel of judges. Here is a list of the other award recipients:

Retail Employee Training Award: Given to a retailer that exhibits a comprehensive recognition and training program for sales and customer service staff.

The Mid-size Category winner is Le Château Inc., for its 'GUEST' customer service program, which creates a consistent language for customer service training and coaching of staff.

The Large-size Category winner is Toronto-based, Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), for its "At Work . . . It Works" initiative. This program trains staff in various programs to effectively manage supply chain challenges.

Retail Marketing/Advertising Campaign Award: Presented to a retailer that has developed a creative and successful marketing campaign by integrating two or more tactics.

The Mid-size Category winner is Barrie, Ontario-based, The Source by Circuit City, for its successful re-branding project. This project required InterTAN to rebrand 900 RadioShack stores across the country in 90 days with the new name - The Source by Circuit City.

The Large-size Category winner is Vancouver-based, Best Buy Canada Ltd., for its launch into Montreal. With the opening of seven stores in Montreal in 2005, the Best Buy brand went from virtually unknown to become known as the source for consumer electronics and computers.

Retail Loss Prevention Initiative Award: Honours a retailer that has successfully implemented a loss prevention strategy in order to combat theft. The winner is Toronto-based, Indigo Books & Music Inc., for its "Cycle Count" program, which saw a significant reduction in shrink and improvement in employee morale.

New Retail Store Design Concept Award: Honours a retailer that has used innovation to create a visually enticing layout and design.

The Mid-size Category winner is St. John's, Newfoundland-based, Aliant, for the redesign of the Avalon Mall in St. John's, NL. The store's redesign is a particular hit with youth who enjoy the Internet and gaming areas. The Large-size Category winner is Markham, Ontario-based, STAPLES Business Depot for Dossier by Bureau En Gros. Dossier is a high-speed, high- service spin-off store to service mid-market business customers who need great service and fast turnaround from their copy shops.

Online Retailing Experience Award: Presented to a retailer who offers the consumer the best possible e-retailing experience.

The winner is Toronto-based, The Home Depot Canada, for its www.homedepot.ca Web site. For 2005, the goal was to provide the best user experience possible by offering customers comprehensive product research.

Retail Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative Award: Given to a retailer who develops a new, or advances its current, corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, which demonstrates innovative and proactive solutions to societal and environmental challenges.

The Mid-size Category winner is the Halifax-based, Nova Scotia Liquor Commission, for the 2005 Holiday Social Responsibility Campaign. This multi- faceted program sent a clear message to consumers across the province:

"Whatever you need to do, do it. Plan ahead and get home safely."

The Large-size Category winner is Mississauga, Ontario-based, Bell Distribution, Inc., for "Bell's Recycle, Reuse, Redial" program. This successful take-back program invites customers to bring back their used cellular phones and wireless devices to reduce landfill waste and donate much-needed phones to women's shelters across Canada.

Advancement in Retail Supply Chain Award: Given to a retailer that implements a new strategy, tactic or technology to improve the supply chain operation. This year's winner is LCBO, for its "Localized Assortment Strategy," in which the company addressed high inventory costs and supply chain challenges.

In-store Retail Merchandising Strategy Award: Presented to a retailer who effectively develops an innovative merchandising strategy for a specific product line, a brand, a season or a department.

The Mid-size Category winner is Toronto-based, The Second Cup Ltd., for its Holiday 2005 initiative, in which the company launched a merchandising strategy to increase holiday gift sales.

The Large-size Category winner is The Home Depot Canada for its Countertop Selling Centre, a Canada-wide initiative developed to create a single access point for customers to see and compare all the countertop options available to them.

Canada Post Integrated Multi-Channel Retailing Program Award: Honours a retailer who successfully satisfies the ever-increasing consumer appetite for retail channel choice.

This year's winner is Mississauga, Ontario-based, The Shopping Channel, for its partnership with Dell, with the goal to sell computers and build awareness of The Shopping Channel as an electronics retailer.

Direct Energy Business Services Retail Energy Efficiency Program Award: Given to a retailer that demonstrates significant achievements in the area of energy efficiency.

The winner is Toronto-based, Sears Canada Inc., for its energy efficiency program, in which the company developed five major initiatives aimed at curbing electricity consumption.

TORONTO - Twenty post-secondary students from across the country will each receive a $1,000 scholarship to further their educations and kick-start their careers in retail at Retail Council of Canada's (RCC) upcoming STORE conference, this June 5-6 in Toronto. RCC, along with leading Canadian retailers, award these scholarships annually and developed this initiative to recognize outstanding post-secondary students who are pursuing retail and retail-related careers.

RCC's 2006 Retail as a Career Scholarship Program is bigger than ever, with approximately 200 students applying for a chance to win a scholarship. While the number of applicants is growing every year, so is the number of retailers who provide the additional funding needed to increase the number of scholarships available.

"It's imperative that as an industry, retailers come together to support our young people in one of the biggest decisions in their lives - their career," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "These scholarships help retail's rising stars kick-start their careers in an industry full of opportunities, be it full-time, head-office, seasonal or in-store."

This year, twenty $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to committed students who are pursuing an education in retail or a business-related post-secondary program, such as fashion merchandising/marketing, retail management, commerce, advertising, communications, and human resources management.

Applicants were judged by an independent panel and are rated on their academic record, references and an application essay. This year's 2006 Retail as a Career Scholarship winners are (in alphabetical order):

<< Name Location
Sean Baldwin Thornhill, ON
Rebecca Campbell Winnipeg, MB
Karen Chan Richmond, BC
Jason Chong Vancouver, BC
Elena Dupuis Brandon, MB
Benjamin Hellewell Langley, BC
John-Henry Gray Stoney Creek, ON
Taylor Gunnell Toronto, ON
Mallory MacDonald Brookfield, NS
Tracey Matheson Dartmouth, NS
Calum McCullough Barrie, ON
Grant McNeil Nanaimo, BC
Samara Mouawad Windsor, ON
Charisse Reyes Mississauga, ON
Allison Riedstra Wallaceburg, ON
Sarah Sarwat Brampton, ON
Camil Tremblay Longueil, QC
Jeffrey Van Deurzen Lethbridge, AB
David Woods Brandon, MB
Anja Zimonjic Scarborough, ON
>>

Leading Canadian retailers, including Aritzia, Best Buy Canada, The Bombay Furniture Company, Canadian Tire, Costco Wholesale Canada, Hbc, The Home Depot, Home Hardware, Sears Canada, STAPLES Business Depot, Starbucks, Talbots, Toys 'R' Us, and Wal-Mart Canada have sponsored 14 of the scholarships, while RCC has sponsored six in honour of Canadian Retail Hall of Fame inductees.

The 2006 scholarships will be presented to the 20 deserving winners at a special awards ceremony on Tuesday, June 6 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. EST. Immediately following this reception, the students will also be honoured on-stage at the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame Luncheon with their presenting sponsors.

For more information about STORE 2006, Canada's Retail Conference, log onto www.STOREconference.org.

Rejecting Additional Surtaxes is Good News for Retailers and for Consumers

TORONTO - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) expressed its unequivocal support for the May 29th announcement by Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and International Trade Minister David Emerson to reject additional surtaxes on bicycle and barbecue imports.

"On behalf of all retailers across Canada who sell bicycles and barbecues this is a huge victory for their customers and their businesses," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "The Harper government deserves credit for recognizing that increasing import surtaxes only drives up costs and drives down product selection for Canadian consumers."

RCC appeared before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) to fight these two cases on behalf of retailers who sell bicycles and barbecues across the country. Many of RCC's members are small, independent bicycle shop owners and specialty store owners who sell barbecues and related products. Additional surtaxes would not only affect the products they import directly, but also those they purchase through a wholesaler, an agent, and/or a third party.

"For the hundreds of our smaller store owners in these product categories, this is particularly good news. It will protect their rights to responsibly source the range of products their consumers are demanding - at the price levels their customers are willing or able to pay," adds Brisebois. After the CITT recommended that additional surtaxes be imposed, the government today decided that it was not in the best interests of the Canadian economy to follow the recommendations.

Minister Flaherty stated that the government wants "to grow and strengthen our economy, and imposing these surtaxes would have increased costs of Canadian retailers and consumers."

"This decision sends the right message to both retailers and consumers across the country. We congratulate the government for positively addressing this important trade issue," concludes Brisebois.

TORONTO - Retail Council of Canada (RCC) announced May 24 that Elmira's George Heller, Senior Director of Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc) and Toronto's Harry Rosen of Harry Rosen Inc., will be the 2006 inductees into the Canadian Retail Education Hall of Fame. Mr. Heller and Mr. Rosen were nominated and selected by a distinguished panel of current and former retail executives, as well as representatives from the financial, academic and consulting communities.

Mr. George Heller, Senior Director, Hbc

"Many of the educational initiatives and programs now offered to young people seeking and pursuing a career in retail in Canada would not have been possible without the tireless support and efforts of Mr. George Heller during his more than 30 years in this industry," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "Mr. Heller is being honoured for his long-standing commitment to promoting retail as a career, for providing corporate and private funding and financial assistance, for embracing and promoting internship programs, and also for serving as an advocate for retail corporate social responsibility."

"I am honoured to be recognized by our industry. When I started in 1966 with Hudson's Bay Company, I could not have imagined where retail would lead me. Retail is an opportunity for young people to both grow throughout their careers and reach their full potential in the many fields that make up retail in the 21st century," says George Heller, Senior Director, Hbc.

As a retail veteran, Mr. Heller has held senior positions in Canadian and international retailing for almost 30 years. The majority of his career has been with Hbc, where he started with the Northern Stores Division in 1966 and from there, moved into positions with the Bay, Simpsons, Zellers and Woodwards. From 1991 to 1994, Mr. Heller was President and CEO of the Victoria Commonwealth Games. In 1995, he became President of Bata Industries in North America and Europe before becoming the President and CEO of Kmart Canada in 1997. Mr. Heller rejoined the Hbc family when he was appointed President and CEO of Zellers following Hbc's acquisition of Kmart Canada in 1998. Most recently, Mr. Heller was appointed Senior Director of Hbc in 2006 following his retirement as President and CEO, a position he had held since 1999. Mr. Heller is also actively committed to the long-term growth and development of promoting retail as a career. Hbc was one of the founding $1-million contributors to the Ryerson University School of Retail Management. Mr. Heller currently serves as the chair of the Advisory Board and Hbc continues to be a major employer of the School's internship program.

In addition to his enormous contributions to the Canadian retail industry, Mr. Heller was awarded the "Meritorious Service Medal" and "Citation" in 1997 by the Government of Canada in recognition of his leadership of the 1994 Commonwealth Games and his service to Canada. He holds honorary doctorates from the University of Victoria and Ryerson University.

Mr. Harry Rosen, Executive Chairman, Harry Rosen Inc.

"Mr. Harry Rosen is a true Canadian retail icon who is being honoured for his contribution to retail as a career, for his unwavering commitment to retail training and education, and for serving as a retail mentor and ambassador to thousands of current and future retail employees from coast-to-coast," says Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada. "Mr. Rosen consistently lives by his values of trust and respect as shown by his continued commitment to the retail industry and the community at large. In addition, Mr. Rosen continues to give generously of his time to promote the establishment of a retail-specific curriculum in educational institutions across Canada. His unwavering commitment and support have had a tremendous impact on this industry."

"It is a great honour to be inducted into the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame. Retailing has certainly changed for the better in many ways in my 52 years in retail," says Harry Rosen, Executive Chairman, Harry Rosen Inc. "A great aid is the work of Retail Council of Canada, who understands the major issues that retailers are facing and provides a valuable forum for learning."

Founded in 1954 by Harry Rosen himself, this premier menswear retailer has grown from a single 500-square foot store in Toronto to a powerhouse in Canadian retailing with 16 stores across the country, accounting for 35 per cent of the high-end menswear market in Canada. Mr. Rosen's innovative approach to menswear and his ability to anticipate changing customer tastes have enabled him to stay at the forefront of Canadian retail, culminating in 52 years in business this year.

Mr. Rosen is also known for his deep commitment to community. He considers community service to be an integral part of his career and has enjoyed a long-term association with the Canadian Cancer Society, including a three-year term as the Campaign Chairman for Metropolitan Toronto. Mr. Rosen has also been active with other charitable organizations such as the Canadian Paraplegic Association, Special Olympics, Mt. Sinai Friends for Life Campaign, Design Exchange and the United Jewish Appeal. He is also involved in the Leadership Campaign for the United Way. In 2006, Harry Rosen Inc. became the title sponsor of the charity run, "Harry's Spring Run Off," benefiting prostate cancer research at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Mr. Rosen was honoured with a Honorary Doctorate in Commerce from Ryerson University in 2003 and was appointed as a Member to the Order of Canada in 2004.

This award will be presented to Mr. Heller and Mr. Rosen on behalf of the retail industry at the Canadian Retail Hall of Fame Luncheon on Tuesday, June 6, 2006. The luncheon, part of STORE 2006 - Canada's Retail Conference, will take place at the Toronto Congress Centre at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. The luncheon will also award 20 students from across Canada pursuing retail careers, with scholarships of $1,000 each.

John Hanson was born and raised in Southwestern Ontario, on the Hanson family farm on highway 59 between Woodstock and Norwich. Even then, he had his career goals well established; he recalls, ³I have always liked automobiles. As a kid on the farm in Holbrook, I had posters of cars on my walls.² He attended the G.M. Institute in Michigan, graduating with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering with a Speciality in Automotive Design. He worked for General Motors for 16 years, most recently as Assistant Zone Manager for Alberta and Eastern British Columbia, before buying the Pontiac franchise in New Hamburg 20 years ago.. Now, John and his team are inviting all customers, old and new, to visit the newly renovated and expanded, 40,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility on Highway 7&8 in New Hamburg. As they prepare for their Grand Opening, June 10, they learned of one more reason why Hanson Chevrolet-Pontiac-Buick-GMC is worth a visit ­ the new building has won a coveted Building Excellence Award from the Grand Valley Construction Association, taking first place in the the ³$750,000 to $2 million, Commercial² category. In 1989, John and his wife, Anita, brought their two sons to New Hamburg, and Hanson Pontiac was born, initially located in downtown New Hamburg, and moving to the present location fronting on Highway 7&8 in 1989. John acquired the Chevrolet franchise in nearby Baden in October, 2004. That acquisition sparked the move to combine the dealerships in one modern, customer-friendly facility. This ³dual showroom franchise² was a new concept in Ontario, but General Motors agreed, and a new era in Ontario automotive retailing was born. With the opening of the completely renovated and expanded facility, Hanson Chevrolet-Pontiac-Buick-GMC is the first ³dual showroom franchise² in the province of Ontario and one of only four in Canada. The attractive, glass-fronted building is graced with two different ³towers,² one the Chevrolet entrance, the other, Pontiac-Buick-GMC. Once inside, customers will find two bright, spacious but seamless showrooms featuring every vehicle across those product lines (Chevrolet, Chevy Trucks, Corvette, Pontiac, Buick, GMC), and a host of innovations, all designed to increase customer satisfaction. John points out that, while virtually everything about the physical facility is new, some key things have not changed, especially ³the well-known Hanson¹s commitment to an established tradition of personal service. Customers will receive the level of personal attention that they are accustomed to.² One important factor in accomplishing that goal was the successful merging of the teams from the two dealerships. It may be a coincidence, but General Motors has introduced an amazing array of new vehicles just in time for the Hanson Grand Opening ­ the Corvette 206, the Pontiac Solstice, the retro-look Chevy HHR, and now on display, the totally redesigned full-sized 2007 Sport Utility Vehicles including the Chevrolet Tahoe and the GMC Yukon and Denali, and the versatile Chevrolet Avalanche, among others. The enthusiasm among the Hanson team is palpable. These people are eager to show customers ­ old and new ­ that they have found the perfect combination of up-to-the-minute facilities with home-town attitude. They believe ­ and will tell you, at length ­ that the new business will be both efficient and friendly. The phrases ³customer focused² and ³personalized service² are on everyone¹s lips. Those words translate into reality in the new dealership, which also features innovations including a children¹s play area, internet work stations for customers, a self-serve café, and comfortable seating with plasma screen, satellite TV. In short, Hanson Chevrolet-Pontiac-Buick-GMC will offer all the pluses of the popular businesses carrying the Hanson name ... along with a heightened level of service, the convenience of one-stop automotive shopping, and a beautiful new facility.

Though March was a positive month for most retailers, the automotive sector was responsible for the bulk of the increase. Sales in this sector bounced back from February's decline and jumped 3.3% in March, the largest monthly increase since the incentive-driven peak of last summer.

Excluding sales by dealers of new, used and recreational vehicles and auto parts, retail sales rose by 0.7% from February, the fourth consecutive monthly sales increase among non-auto retailers.

With the exception of food and beverage stores (-0.1%), all retail sectors saw sales increases in March. Sales in the ever-growing sector of building and outdoor home supplies stores increased by 1.9%. The clothing and accessories stores sector continued to grow strongly (+1.7%) as did the pharmacies and personal care stores sector (+1.0%). Sales growth also occurred among miscellaneous retailers (+0.7%), general merchandise stores (+0.5%) and furniture, home furnishings and electronics stores (+0.3%).

Once price increases are taken into account, retail sales grew by 1.2% in March after increasing 0.2% in February.

All sectors, except food and beverage, post higher sales in March

The automotive sector led all other sectors in sales growth in March. Sales at new car dealers rose 4.6%, making up for a 3.4% decline in February. Gasoline stations sales advanced by 1.6%, mainly due to a 5.2% jump in gasoline prices. Used and recreational motor vehicle and parts dealers also saw their sales rise 2.0% in March.

Within the building and outdoor home supplies stores sector, home centres and hardware stores enjoyed their eighth consecutive month of sales gains in March. Specialized building material and garden stores, a smaller component of this sector, saw their sales edge down 0.4%. Nevertheless, these stores posted one of their strongest quarterly sales gains in 10 years (+9.3%), likely due to the unusually warm weather earlier this year.

Prices for clothing and footwear rose 0.7% in March, inflating sales at clothing stores (+2.1%). Sales at these stores reached a plateau in early 2005 after strong steady gains throughout 2004. Since the last quarter of 2005, however, sales have once again picked up and continued to grow during the first quarter of 2006.

Pharmacies and personal care stores posted their fifth consecutive sales gain in March. In general, sales in these stores have been on the rise and have only declined once since the end of 2004.

Sales in the food and beverage stores sector remained relatively flat in March. Supermarket sales edged down 0.2% and were only partially offset by gains among convenience and specialty food stores and beer, wine and liquor stores. Supermarket sales have been fluctuating since mid-2005 and were up 1.2% in March compared to the same month last year.

Ontario sales rebound in March

Retail sales rebounded in Ontario after falling sharply in February, posting a 2.9% sales increase in March. Most of the nation's employment growth in March was concentrated in Ontario and was due to the rise in the number of jobs in the construction and services industries.

Retailers in New Brunswick enjoyed their sixth consecutive increase in sales in March (+2.1%). Sales in New Brunswick have been on a sharp rise since the fall of 2005. The gain in the first quarter of 2006 (+3.3%) was the strongest quarterly gain since 2001.

Manitoba (+1.8%) and Saskatchewan (+1.5%) also posted significant gains. Alberta retailers witnessed a more modest 0.4% advance in March, posting a sales increase below the national average for the first time since June 2005. However, Alberta's first quarter results for 2006 were the strongest (+5.2%) among the provinces and territories as sales have been rapidly climbing since 2004.

All other provinces and territories also posted positive quarterly gains, except for Newfoundland and Labrador (-0.3%) and the Yukon (-1.7%).

Related indicators for April

Total employment rose by an estimated 22,000 in April, mainly in full-time work. This continues the long-term trend of growth in full-time employment. For the second consecutive month, the bulk of the employment gains were in Ontario.

Housing starts fell by 13.3% in April. A large decline in multiple urban starts, a volatile component of housing starts, erased all the gains made in March. Single urban starts continued to decrease steadily.

Based on preliminary figures from the auto industry, the number of new motor vehicles sold in April reversed direction, giving up March's gains. Both passenger car and truck sales declined during the month, with truck sales falling slightly more than car sales.

MONTREAL - The decision taken by Imperial Tobacco Canada (ITC) to deliver their products directly to retailers is likely to jeopardize several small and medium-size businesses in Canada and Quebec, who are specialised in the distribution to convenience stores, according to the National Convenience Stores Distributor Association, better known as NACDA.

NACDA represents the interests of the majority of convenience store distributors in Canada (such as convenience stores and small grocery stores). Most of these distributors are family-owned small businesses, which have been in operation for many years. They oversee the distribution of products, including tobacco products, throughout Canada.

"We are surprised and disappointed by Imperial Tobacco's decision. While we have been partners for more than 100 years, we have learned about this decision by means of a press release yesterday. Yet, an important part of our distributors' sales comes from the distribution of tobacco products. Some of them will find it difficult to make good the important losses brought about by ITC's decision", said Mr. Marc Fortin, President at NACDA.

According to NACDA, ITC's decision is likely to result in the loss of thousands of jobs in the distribution industry throughout Canada, in addition to creating an upward pressure on the price of other products sold in convenience stores and grocery stores. "Furthermore, the distributors ensuring the delivery of products to Canada's regions are likely to be affected the most. Ultimately, we are concerned that these regions will pay dearly for Imperial Tobacco's new "strategy", since some wholesalers who serve remote areas may not be able to survive", as pointed out by Mr. Fortin.

From 226 to 226
From 226 to 519
From 226 to 705

Starting now

Reprogram your telephone functions and communications equipment to comply with 10-digit dialing.

As of June 17, 2006 - Start using 10-digit dialing for all local communications.

If you dial only 7 digits, before your call is connected you will hear a recorded message reminding you to dial all 10 digits the next time.

Warning! This message may disrupt data transmission in certain cases (Internet, fax machines, etc.).

As of October 14, 2006
10-digit local dialing is mandatory.

The new 226 area code will be gradually introduced once all numbers in the 519 code have been completely exhausted.

Energy was not the only story for 2005 as high-tech export volumes reached levels attained during the high-tech boom and automotive exports showed strength despite several firms restructuring their operations.

It was a year for records as import values and volumes also registered historic highs. Nearly two-thirds of the overall increase in real imports was attributed to a surge in demand for machinery and equipment as Canadian firms took advantage of low interest rates, historically high business profits, and a stronger Canadian dollar pushing down import prices.

For the first time ever, Canadian merchandise imports from Mexico ($14.6 billion) were higher than from Japan, moving Mexico from Canada's fourth to third largest source of imported products in 2005. Imports originating in China, which became the second largest source of imports in 2002, hit $29.5 billion in 2005, an increase of 22.3% over 2004.

From 226 to 226
From 226 to 519
From 226 to 705

Starting now

Reprogram your telephone functions and communications equipment to comply with 10-digit dialing.

As of June 17, 2006 - Start using 10-digit dialing for all local communications.

If you dial only 7 digits, before your call is connected you will hear a recorded message reminding you to dial all 10 digits the next time.

Warning! This message may disrupt data transmission in certain cases (Internet, fax machines, etc.).

As of October 14, 2006
10-digit local dialing is mandatory.

The new 226 area code will be gradually introduced once all numbers in the 519 code have been completely exhausted.

Energy was not the only story for 2005 as high-tech export volumes reached levels attained during the high-tech boom and automotive exports showed strength despite several firms restructuring their operations.

It was a year for records as import values and volumes also registered historic highs. Nearly two-thirds of the overall increase in real imports was attributed to a surge in demand for machinery and equipment as Canadian firms took advantage of low interest rates, historically high business profits, and a stronger Canadian dollar pushing down import prices.

For the first time ever, Canadian merchandise imports from Mexico ($14.6 billion) were higher than from Japan, moving Mexico from Canada's fourth to third largest source of imported products in 2005. Imports originating in China, which became the second largest source of imports in 2002, hit $29.5 billion in 2005, an increase of 22.3% over 2004.