ST. JACOBS, Ont. (Aug. 11, 2004) — Home Hardware Stores Limited has become the first Canadian retailer and private carrier to qualify its St. Jacobs trucking fleet with CSA International’s Carrier Safety Management System Standard.

The CSMS standard provides organizations that transport goods on public roadways with a framework to help minimize the risk of accidents and safety incidents. The safety audit and qualification was completed by QMI, one of North America’s leading management system registrar and a division of CSA Group.

The company says qualification to the CSMS program will help it demonstrate to customers, enforcement agencies, and the public that it is continuously meeting safety obligations, in a way that provides a consistently high level of service to its more than 1,000 independent dealers across Canada.

“Home Hardware is committed to reaching the highest standards for safety across our organization,” says Paul Straus, Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer, Home Hardware Stores Limited. “We’re especially proud to be the first Canadian retailer to implement the CSMS standard.”

“In an industry often under scrutiny for its commitment to safety, Home Hardware can now say they have gone the extra mile to operate a safe fleet,” said Wendy Tilford, president of QMI.

Home Hardware acts as a distributor to its more than 1,000 members, operating a fleet of 125 power units and 425 trailers. It also controls more than 2 million square feet of warehouse space in Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Alberta.

Over the next eight months, the company plans to roll out the CSMS program to its Nova Scotia and Alberta fleets as well.