Rental Mart 2022: Back in Action

Rental Mart 2022

When – March 8 & 9, 2022

Where – The International Centre, Mississauga ON.

What – Canada’s biggest expo of rental-ready equipment

Why – Network with top brands and gain insights from our industry expert speakers

Each year we welcome rental store owners to find the friends and fleet they need to make their businesses succeed. In 2022, we are also rolling out the red carpet to construction contractors, landscapers and anyone else who spends a lot of time in their local rental store. This is everyone’s chance to see the innovative new technology your suppliers will feature in the coming year. We guarantee you will leave the Canadian Rental Mart with some new ideas for your business.

Tony Clement

One of the top features of this year’s event is the keynote presentation from former federal industry minister, the Hon. Tony Clement, that will take place at the Centre Stage on the second day of the show. Don’t forget to grab a beer beforehand at the Centre Stage Bar!

Before the pandemic, our biggest concern was finding the customers and making the sales. Now, with the phone ringing off the hook, the difficulty is getting the supplies and equipment we need. This global crisis has laid bare the downside of depending on offshore suppliers for critical products… but are our economies now irrevocably tied to the advantages of cheap labour, less regulation and scale of production that can be found overseas? These are questions that Clement, as former federal industry minister, grappled with directly. Today, his concern with the state of our supply chains has led him to co-found Reshoring Canada, an information and advocacy group exploring ways to bring manufacturing back home. Join us at Centre Stage at the Rental Mart to collect Mr. Clement’s insights, prescriptions and predictions for how and where we’ll get our fleet going forward.

A returning favourite to the Rental Mart in 2022 is the Women in Rental panel, which will take place on the first day of the show in conjunction with International Women’s Day. On stage will be Angie Venekamp, general manager of Rental Network and American Rental Association Region 10 director representing Canada on the ARA board of directors; Jule Elia, business-builder and district sales manager at Herc Rentals; Rachael Caron, business creation manager with Crown Verity and CRAO board member; Michelle Nicol, award-winning account manager and festival specialist with Higgins Event Rentals; and Andrea Hetu, co-president of Equipements Brossard. They will share their experiences, expertise and suggestions for creating a more inclusive industry to help encourage women to choose careers in rental.

Angie Venekamp, general manager, Rental Network

Angie Venekamp is general manager of Rental Network, an equipment and event rental house in Squamish, B.C. She is presently the American Rental Association Region 10 Director representing Canada on the ARA board of directors. For at least 15 years, Venekamp has been a prominent leader in the B.C. and Canadian rental community, rising through all the chairs in the B.C. local of the Canadian Rental Association between 2008 and 2011 and serving as the B.C. National Director from 2009 through 2016. She was honoured as ARA Region 10 Person of the Year in 2012 and as one of Canadian Rental Service’s Top 10 Under 40 in 2013. She has participated in the ARA Party and Event Shared Interest Group, attended the ARA Leadership Conference and job-shadowed in Camden, Australia, as part of the ARA Foundation International Leadership Program.

Jule Elia, district sales manager, Herc Rentals

Jule Elia is a business-builder in the Canadian rental industry. She joined A1 Equipment Rentals in Toronto in 1978, rising through sales positions to vice-president of the company. When A1 was purchased by Stephenson’s Rental Services in 2006, Elia assisted with the integration then took a retirement package. That lasted six years, then she accepted an offer to join Cooper Equipment Rentals. After a year there, she partnered with some old colleagues to go out on her own, creating Rapid Equipment Rental in 2013. Rapid was acquired by HERC in late 2021, and once again Elia is assisting with a company merger.

Rachael Caron, business creation manager, Crown Verity

Rachael Caron has a background in social services and worked in the field for over 20 years. She brings her passion for helping and solution-based problem solving to Crown Verity. For the past six years, Caron has worked for Crown Verity in a variety of roles. One of her guiding principles is to listen to the needs of the end user and work with them for their outdoor equipment needs. When not at work, Caron loves the outdoors and travelling. These two components make Caron enthusiastic about her work and role within Crown Verity. Serving the rental industry has been a driving force in her career with Crown Verity. As part of the CRAO board, Caron continues to grow with her rental partners. Throughout the past four years, it was the sense of community involvement and support among this team that reaffirmed for her that anything is possible together.

Michelle Nicol, account manager and festival specialist, Higgins Event Rentals

Michelle Nicol is an award-winning account manager and festival specialist with Higgins Event Rentals in Toronto. Having graduated from Seneca College in 2006 with high honours in both the event management and visual merchandising arts programs, Nicol is an advocate for industry involvement and education. She is an active member in industry associations and enjoys serving on a variety of boards and committees. Nicol is currently the president of the Canadian Rental Association Ontario chapter’s board and a member of the Events and Tents shared interest group for the national association. Nicol was on the ILEA Toronto Board as a director-at-large following her term as vice-president of programs in 2011-2012 and is also on the Seneca College event management program advisory committee. Nicol has completed the American Rental Associations Certified Event Rental Professional program, and is one of a handful of event professionals in Canada to have obtained this prestigious designation. She has the aptitude to coordinate all aspects of an event, from the initial planning stages, to designing CAD drawings, to overseeing the final installation on the job site. She has successfully supported events ranging in size from intimate gatherings to large trade shows as well as sporting events and festivals for thousands. Michelle’s life motto is, “Be a Fruit Loop in a world of Cheerios!” and she enjoys spending time with her husband and two dogs, gardening and going on spontaneous road trips!

Andrea Hetu, co-president, Equipements Brossard

Andrea Hetu has grown up in the rental industry having taken on nearly every role in the family business. She currently holds the position of co-president of Equipements Brossard and is poised to take over from her father as president in 2022. She holds a degree in administration and business management from HEC Montreal and attended the Beauce Entrepreneurship School.