When the new owners of Georgina Rent-All purchased this long-standing business with the intent to take it to the next level as quickly as possible, they were impressed with how accepting the area rental community was.

You won’t find homemade french fries among the items for rent or sale at Trowelex Rentals and Sales, located in Castlegar in B.C.’s West Kootenays, 600 kilometres east of Vancouver and 600 kilometres west of Calgary.

In the summer of 1958, New Brunswick industrialist K.C. Irving walked into one of his logging camps in the interior of the province and didn’t like what he saw: cramped worker accommodations, uncomfortable common spaces and inefficient systems.

Watch the hit CBC TV show Murdoch Mysteries and see the dashing detective analyzing clues on an elegant wine glass, or notice the dinnerware and linens in the riveting television series The Handmaid’s Tale. Chances are those props have come from the shelves of Higgins Event Rentals.

When Blake Menning heard his company’s name called out at the Canadian Rental Association’s recent annual general meeting, he wasn’t sure he had heard correctly.

Harrigan Rentals, only 52 years young this year, has had quite a history. It’s one of British Columbia’s oldest family owned-and-operated rental firms and it was founded by Jim Harrigan.

What do you do when you’ve already founded 15 local and national businesses throughout your career — many of them rental-related — and generated hundreds of millions in sales?

Chris Clark has been an entrepreneur for as long as he can remember. He started his own lawn care company in 2000, calling it Peaks and Valleys Landscaping.

He hasn’t been in the rental industry as long as some “old-timers,” but Mike Maltby has had his hands in the Canadian Rental Association for more than a decade. Starting in early 2018, the 35-year-old will take on a one-year term to become the next president of the association.

According to Warren Carriere, once you get rentals in your blood, it’s really tough to change industries. Despite starting out on a career path in social work, Carriere found himself bitten by the rental bug more than 14 years ago.

I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude to our members for allowing me to serve as president, following in the footsteps of many great leaders in our industry. I would also like to thank the many volunteers, past and present, who have made, and continue to make, our association what it is today.  

Nancy Crosby of Classic Rentals in Truro, N.S., has been honoured as the American Rental Association's Region 10 Regional Person of the Year for 2018. These awards honour members who have made outstanding contributions to the association and the rental industry on the regional, state, provincial or local levels.

Most of us are familiar with the mythical story of Icarus. Along with his father Daedalus, Icarus was imprisoned on the Greek isle of Crete. After being imprisoned in a labyrinth of his own design, Daedalus fashioned two sets of wings from feathers and wax. With these wings Daedalus and his son Icarus escaped imprisonment and death.

November 12, 2018 - The Canadian Rental Association (CRA) - Ontario Division tried something new for their monthly membership meeting in November by hosting a bus trip to Ottawa to watch the Las Vegas Golden Knights take on the Ottawa Senators.

About 20 Canadian Rental Association Ontario members made the trek to out-of-the-way Bracebridge, Ont., to attend the October 17 meeting at Muskoka Party Rentals, home of current CRA Ontari president, Kim Rixon. Attendees got a tour of Rixon's fast-growing 10,000-square-foot party and event rental store followed by some adult beverages and a buffet dinner of pulled pork and chicken at the nearby Quality Inn. Attendees got to check out some of Muskoka's expert Halloween-themed decorations for inspiration.

September 24, 2018 - The Canadian Rental Association (CRA) Ontario chapter hosted its annual golf tournament on Thursday, September 20th at the Springfield Golf and Country Club in Guelph, Ontario.

Young professionals are the future of our industry and developing next year’s leaders, as well as leadership for decades to come, is something about which all associations including the Canadian Rental Association spend a considerable amount of time thinking.

On July 19 the Canadian Rental Association executive committee was in Moline, Ill., at the American Rental Association office meeting with the ARA board of directors and staff in order to provide a Canadian perspective into the development of the latest iteration of the ARA strategic plan.

ARA Rentalytics has officially been relaunched.  The forecast calls for equipment and event rental revenue in Canada to total $5.4 billion in 2018 and grow each year to reach $6.3 billion in 2022.

July 5, 2018 - For the first time in more than 40 years, The American Rental Association (ARA) proudly unveils a new brand identity to reflect the evolution of the equipment and event rental industry. The move is part of an extensive branding initiative designed to carry the association forward in better serving its members and representing a community of equipment and event rental professionals.

On March 16th, a smaller than usual but enthusiastic group of rental professionals descended on Lind Equipment in Markham to wrap up the 2017-18 member meetings.

As we head into summer and activity at our rental operations shifts into high gear the staff and volunteer leaders of the Canadian Rental Association begin to regroup and plan for the upcoming year. With trade show season behind us for another year, we can all begin to look ahead.

Mobile elevated work platforms are common in many environments as a temporary means of working at height safely. As their popularity has grown there has been an increased concern regarding crushing incidents, specifically where the operator or another occupant has become trapped between the guardrail or the controls of the platform and another object or overhead obstruction.

The Canadian Truck King Challenge celebrated its 12th anniversary by crowning the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali as its champion. Sierra beat out five other challengers for the crown, marking the first time that General Motors has won in the half-ton (1500) category.

Dec. 28, 2018 - Hatz Diesel has officially named Steve Zovar as Customer Service Manager for North America.

Dec. 19, 2018 - Linamar Corporation’s Skyjack division recently delivered a fleet of it’s top selling scissor lift, the SJIII 3219, to a new customer in Beijing. Zhongjian Huijin, a leading rental company based out of Beijing has been helping companies in Northern China work safely at height since 2014.

December 18, 2018 - Doosan Portable Power recently restored the 500th air compressor as part of its Certified Remanufacturing Program.

December 14, 2018 - Doosan Portable Power has added the G400WCU-T4F mobile generator to its product line.

Dec. 11, 2018 -  POWR2 welcomes Toby Nunn as operations director. Nunn has been integral in the evolution of POWR2 from concept to reality and steps into this leadership role as the company launches its Hybrid Energy System (HES).

Dec. 11, 2018 - Deere & Company has named company executive Pierre Guyot to become senior vice president for John Deere Power Systems, effective January 1. The change follows realigned leadership responsibilities at Deere in response to the planned retirement of Jean Gilles, senior vice president of power systems, worldwide parts services, advanced technology and engineering, and global supply management and logistics.

Nov. 28, 2018 - Terex Utilities recently published Tech Tip #71, Changing Direction of Flow on a Tandem Vane Pump. This Tech Tip is applicable to certain Terex Digger Derricks and Aerial Devices. The Tech Tip is available for download from the Technical Support tab at www.terex.com/utilities.

Nov. 26, 2018 - David Chickowski has been appointed Western Region Vice President for Manitou North America. In this key leadership role, Chickowski will oversee all sales activities for Manitou, Gehl, Mustang by Manitou and EDGE brands in the western region of the United States and Canada. He will be focused on driving overall growth and profitability in the region by developing strategic market initiatives and strategies for the dealer network, rental customers and other market channels.

November 21, 2018 - The newest and largest CASE CTL ever built features an industry leading 9,188 pounds of breakout force, and optional high-flow (3,450 psi at 39.5 gpm) and enhanced high-flow (4,000 psi at 35 gpm) hydraulics for high-power attachments such as mulching heads, stump grinders and cold planers.

Nov. 20, 2018 - JLG Industries is pleased to announce the release of SkyGuard SkyLine enhanced control panel protection system as the new standard for North American boom lifts. The new safety innovation is the result of customer feedback stemming from the release of SkyGuard in 2012.

In the last issue, I spoke about being a person of integrity and character. Below, I share the story of someone who devastated many lives with his greed and lack of compassion.

EquipmentWatch analyst Adam Raimond threw out an interesting nugget during our webinar discussing third quarter 2018 rental rate trends. He noted that about seven per cent of spending on a construction project goes to equipment costs, be it paying for owned equipment or renting.

Nov. 20, 2018 - PayNet reports that the PayNet Canadian Small Business Lending Index (CSBLI) edged up to 123.1 in September 2018 from 122.6 in August 2018. The index is up 6.3% year-over-year, marking its fifth consecutive year-over-year gain after 10 months of decline.

 The American Rental Association (ARA) five-year forecast updated in late October now forecasts equipment and event rental revenues in North America to exceed $71.7 billion in 2022, including $65.4 billion in the United States and $6.3 billion in Canada. In Canada, rental revenue is forecast to grow 4.3 percent in 2018 to total $5.4 billion and then continue to expand with revenue increases of 4.8 percent in 2019, 4.7 percent in 2020, 3.8 percent in 2021 and 2.6 percent in 2022 to total $6.3 billion.

Unless you’ve been on a secluded island without access to the outside world (however nice that may sound), you will be very aware of the fact that recreational cannabis use is now legal in Canada.

Chuck Rose has been a very good friend of mine for many years now. He recently sold the Hose and Hound Neighborhood Pub in Inglewood, Calgary. He’d owned it for many years and did very well with it, unlike many bar owners.

Oct. 29, 2018 - The Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) and the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) have collaborated to create a free e-course to help identify and safely control sources and products containing nanomaterials in the workplace, to protect workers from harm.

The PC government of Ontario elected earlier this year has announced it will "wind down" the Ontario College of Trades, set all journeyperson-to-apprentice ratios to one-to-one and put a moratorium on adding new compulsory trade classifications or reclassifying existing classifications. It has also promised an unspecified "replacement model for the regulation of the skilled trades and apprenticeship system" by early 2019. 

Oct. 24, 2018 - In the face of progressing technology, a phone full of confusing or only partially understood apps can seriously slow down productivity and overall workflow.

The Ontario government has announced it will cancel a planned hike of the minumum wage in the province to $15 from the present $14, pending further consultations. The increase was put in place by the former Liberal government and was to take effect at the start of 2019.

We have all had bad days. You know, those days where work has piled up, deadlines are upon you, co-workers are complaining about everything without offering a solution, your supervisor or manager expects the world and the walls seem to be closing in around you and your performance is starting to slide.

Dec. 11, 2018 - Point of Rental Elite now sports a new mobile-friendly CRM, allowing a company’s sales team to accomplish its tasks and see critical information anywhere they may travel.

December 5, 2018 - SmartEquip and Alert Management Systems have announced a strategic partnership to integrate their respective software platforms. The partnership is expected to provide Alert customers with a significant reduction in equipment operating costs.

December 3, 2018 - Point of Rental Software has acquired RentalTrax software from WIOsoft, marking the company’s third software acquisition in the last two years. RentalTrax has offices in Denmark and the U.S. with a diverse customer base spanning Europe, North America, and Australasia.

Nov. 28, 2018 - Serious Labs Inc. is pleased to announce an extension of its partnership with equipment rental leader United Rentals, Inc. Virtual reality (VR) simulation developed by Serious Labs is being deployed by United Rentals as part of its blended learning model for mobile elevated work platform (MEWP) operator certification courses. This model – new to the equipment rental industry – debuted on November 28 when United Rentals opened its first United Academy training center with VR simulation in Alberta, Canada.

November 21, 2018 - More than 200 rental experts left the Dallas-Fort Worth area on Nov. 7 with dozens of ideas for adding to their business’s efficiency, thanks to Point of Rental’s International Conference.

Control your processes and more with these leading-edge information technology products.

Oct. 24, 2018 - EquipmentWatch has announced a new suite of fleet consulting products now available to contractors and equipment professionals seeking efficient solutions to large-scale fleet problems. Through an exclusive partnership with Price Digests, these solutions cover all major equipment types across construction, lift & access, agriculture, and commercial truck.

Oct. 10, 2018 -  Point of Rental Software has furthered its mobile programming push by forming a dedicated mobile development team. Senior Developer Lead Matt Gaffin heads the team, which will build on the company’s award-winning mobile apps to create a unified mobile experience across its four products.

Oct. 3, 2018 - Kerridge Commercial Systems has announced it has acquired inspHire and Current-RMS. inspHire is a premium supplier of rental software to European, U.S. and Australian-based companies, providing equipment to businesses in the equipment and tool, construction, access and lifting, medical, oil and gas as well as specialist sectors. Current-RMS supplies cloud based, fully integrated rental management solutions to the AV, production and event industries.

September 26, 2018 - Texada Software has partnered with Home Hardware Stores Limited to become a preferred software vendor for the Canadian chain’s nearly 1,100 stores. 

August 22, 2018 - Point of Rental Software has acquired PartyCAD, a specialized computer-aided 3D design program for the events industry.

Jan. 4, 2019 - Morbark has announced that it completed the acquisition of DENIS CIMAF, Inc., based in Roxton Falls, Québec. This transaction represents the company’s second acquisition since private equity firm Stellex Capital Management LP acquired Morbark in 2016. The acquisition of Rayco Manufacturing in October 2017, brought a lineup of innovative equipment into the Morbark family across multiple product categories. In particular, Rayco stump cutters, aerial trimmers, forestry mulchers and crawler trucks. The purchase of DENIS CIMAF is another step in the Company’s strategic focus on broadening the range of tree care and industrial equipment, aftermarket parts, and service offered to their Customers.

Upgrade your fleet while the snow is still on the ground. By spring it will be too late!

Spring is coming soon across Canada and that means land clearing contractors will be out in full force. While many jobs can be fulfilled using a standard compact track loader with a simple bucket, overgrown areas with thick brush and trees require heavier-duty forestry attachments.

November 14, 2018 - PRINOTH is well known for its crawler carriers but also manufactures a wide range of mulching equipment.

Oct. 16, 2018 - ARDCO has announced the launch of its new AMT Dump Beds for the Articulating Multi-Purpose Truck (AMT), offering payloads of 10 to 20 tons, volume upgrades for lighter materials, and tire options to suit extreme conditions where other articulated dump trucks simply can’t perform. For optimal machine versatility, the beds can be added or removed from the modular AMT platform when needing to change the back-end attachment for different jobsite tasks.

Sept. 4, 2018 - Caterpillar has announced that it has entered into a preliminary agreement with Weiler, Inc. to sell the Cat® purpose-built forestry business. The sale is subject to negotiation of a final agreement, the closing of which is expected by early 2019.

July 25, 2018 - The Little Wonder AgVac 5S vacuums waste into a self-contained debris loader.

March 23, 2018 - The Next Gen 18" Hydro-Drive Sod Cutter for Golf applications is perfect for soft touch, shallow cut, bent grass.

April 16, 2018 - – Vanguard™introduced the first in a complete line of all-new single-cylinder horizontal shaft commercial gasoline engines built from the ground up based on customer input.

April 19, 2018 - — Classen, an industry-leading brand of commercial and residential turf care equipment, offers its PRO HTS20 Hydro-Drive Overseeder.

April 12, 2018 - Classen gives landscapers a versatile and easy-to-use turf rake with its PRO Hydro-Drive.

Auto mechanics deal with it all the time — the phone call requesting an over-the-phone diagnosis. Inevitably the conversation includes the vehicle owner providing a not-so-spot-on impression of the sound their car or truck is making, whether a screeching, whining, clunking or grinding noise.

September 25, 2018 - Popular, powerful Jet-Set® electric, gas and trailer water jets from General Pipe Cleaners slice through grease, sludge, sand, and ice stoppages that many cable drain cleaners can’t clear!

July 26, 2018 - The Model DRZ-PH-O power drain cleaner from General Pipe Cleaners offers a quick, clean way to clear clogged sink, tub and laundry drains in 1-1/4" to 3" lines.

July 25, 2018 - The Rammy Flail mower 120 ATV is an agile mower for cutting hay, meadow grass and small trees.

April 30, 2018 - General Equipment Company has introduced the FCS18 RIP-R-STRIPPER – the first self-propelled unit in its long line of floor-covering removal machines.

March 28, 2018 - Electric Eel eCAM Ace WiFi Pipeline Inspection Camera System enables users to record video with their mobile device.

March 1, 2018 - An updated Tool Selection Guide for drain cleaning equipment is available FREE from General Pipe Cleaners.

Feb. 20, 2018 - ProBarrow is a professional grade electric powered wheelbarrow that is designed, built and tested here in Canada.

January 25, 2018 - General Pipe Cleaners is offering the popular Gen-Eye POD® video inspection system with the Wi-Fi option at no extra charge during the Rental Show in February and the Canadian Rental Mart in March.

Oct. 30, 2017 - Briggs & Stratton Corporation has announced that it will move production of its V-Twin Vanguard engines from a joint venture partnership in Japan to its existing manufacturing facilities in Statesboro, Georgia and Auburn, Alabama. The increased production in North America will create approximately 50 new jobs at each of the facilities.

October 30, 2017 - General Pipe Cleaners’ new, mobile-friendly website offers quick, easy, intuitive access to General’s full line of drain cleaning, inspection and repair tools – including how to use them and where to buy them!

October 5, 2017 - Fein adds the JMC USA 90 compact magnetic base drill to its Slugger line of metal working tools and accessories.

The Samson Modular and Portable Barrier is a next-generation, patent-pending, tested and certified mobile physical barrier designed to block and stop vehicles from a motorcycle and up to 12-ton heavy trucks from breaking through without the use of anchors. Certifications include: ASTM, PAS68 and IWA 14.

April 5, 2018 - National Event Supply has introduced a number of new items for the party rental industry.

February 23, 2018 - Signature Systems Group, a supplier of performance composite matting and specialty flooring systems, has introduced UltimaTurf™, a new line of artificial turf floor covering.

February 15, 2018 - Bring ethereal beauty, form, and functionality to your space by adding a Rainier Cloud, new architectural fabric sculptures from Rainier Tent.

Jan. 23, 2018 - Filmmakers in Waterloo region will now be able to rent out industry-standard film equipment like lighting and grip gear because of a partnership btween The Working Centre's Commons Studio and Lighthouse Equipment Inc. in Kitchener. CBC News reports. | READ MORE

January 12, 2018 - National Event Supply has introduced a new industrial metal dining chair.

September 13, 2017 - The Cow Milking Contest from Twister Display has been a huge hit ever since it introduced.

July 27, 2017 - LENZIP Manufacturing Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial and commercial grade zippers has released the LENZIP No. 12 Marine Grade UV Zipper.

June 12, 2017 - Zap Zip Table-Top Game is based on the unique combination of light, sound and games.

May 30, 2017 - Battle the Blaze is a knockdown game were kids toss bean bag (or water balloons) to knock over the flames on the burning building.

March 15, 2017 - Wertz Werkz has introduced a number of new games for the party rental industry.

Jan. 4, 2019 - The upcoming 2019 World of Asphalt Show & Conference is officially the largest World of Asphalt ever. The exhibition kicks off Feb. 12-14 in at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.

Nov. 27, 2018 - The 2019 edition of the National Heavy Equipment Show is approaching this March 28 and 29 at the International Centre in Mississauga. With event preparation in full force, visitor registration is now live and the expanded exhibit floor is closing in on sold-out status.

Oct. 22, 2018 - It is official: recreational marijuana is legal in Canada with effect from October 17. With that comes a patchwork of jurisdictional laws establishing where and how marijuana products will be sold and used by consumers.

Oct. 10, 2018 - Your investment in equipment is critical to your business. Whether a single machine is rented, leased, bought, or borrowed can make or a break a company in a matter of years.

Oct. 10, 2018 - The Buildings Show provides an unforgettable experience as Canada’s largest event for products, services, educational programming and professional networking for the Design, Architecture, Construction, Renovation and Real Estate sectors.

June 14, 2018 - The National Heavy Equipment Show is getting ready for another edition, with dates being announced for March 28 and 29, 2019 at the International Centre in Mississauga.

Shows across North America featured a vast array of new technology for the rental industry.

It’s the annual rite of spring for the equipment and event rental industries. Once again, thousands of rental store owners, managers and workers got together to look over the latest technology, make valuable connections, meet friends and pick up business tips.

Back in Drummondville for the second year in a row, 49 companies hailing from Canadian locales such as Gatineau, Rouyn-Noranda, Montreal and Edmonton, and as far away as Europe, China and the United States, attended the Canadian Rental Association’s Quebexpo 2018. More than just an equipment show, the exposition generated valuable networking opportunities for newcomers and regulars with its lunches and ever-popular cocktail on opening night.

The 2018 Canadian Rental Mart featured a new twist - a door prize for a trip for two to anywhere valued at $2,500. The lucky winner was Joel McFadyen of Elmvale Rental Supply in Elmvale, Ont.

The Canadian Rental Mart saw its move to the International Centre in Mississauga attract about 200 attendees from 79 different rental stores. While not as large as some past crowds, exhibitors noted the quality of attendees was excellent, with visitors typically being owners or senior managers with buying authority. These influential industry leaders toured a 40,000-square-foot show floor featuring a full selection of rental-ready equipment from Canada's top suppliers. 

March 8, 2018 - The record-breaking 2018 World of Asphalt Show & Conference and AGG1 Academy & Expo concluded a successful run, March 6-8, with a very positive atmosphere, as attendees and exhibitors conducted business and discussed issues affecting future growth such as infrastructure funding, and industry experts shared best practices during well-attended education sessions.