There's no doubt that Canadian consumers are different than Americans.
Here in the U.S., consumers have shown a willingness to throw off "Made in America" products and local retailers for a better deal. Now, as retail chains from the U.S. and elsewhere look to Canada as a growth market, will Canadians stick with their own?
Robert Dutton, chief executive officer of Rona, the largest home improvement retailer in Canada, thinks they well.
In a speech to the Economic Club of Canada, Mr. Rona said that high unemployment in the country due to the recession has made people "more conscious" about supporting homegrown companies.
That consciousness, according to a Canadian Press report, also seems to have extended to Mr. Dutton's company.
"That's the reason we're working so hard with Canadian suppliers -- because we have to preserve the jobs here in Canada not only in retail but the real good jobs -- well-paying -- in the manufacturing sector," he said.
Mr. Dutton said Rona has managed to grow its share of market despite the presence of American rivals, including Home Depot and Lowe's.
"In 2010 our share of the Canadian market was higher than Lowe's and Home Depot's combined," Mr. Dutton said.
Rona is looking to grow its share of the home improvement market through acquisitions.
In a speech made in January, Claude Guévin, executive vice president and chief financial officer for Rona, said, "For a good decade now we've been the market consolidation leader in Canada. We intend to bank on that leadership and to make the most of this strategy. Our long-term objective is to have one square foot of retail space for every Canadian, increasing our market share from the current 19 percent to 25 percent."