CKCA Delighted to Align with Woodsure’s Insurance Program for Members

CKCA is pleased to announce our alignment with Woodsure’s specialized insurance program, designed to support the unique needs of manufacturers across Canada.  The partnership offers CKCA members access to tailored insurance solutions that reflect the realities of cabinetry, millwork, and wood product manufacturing – enhancing risk management and providing peace of mind in a complex industry.

A message from Connie Rowley, Woodsure’s SVP of Manufacturing Wood Products.

“Woodsure’s Value-Add Program for Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers is designed to enhance risk management and reduce operational costs through tailored insurance solutions.  By participating in the program, cabinet manufacturers gain access to comprehensive property, equipment, and liability insurance coverage specifically underwritten for the wood products sector.  The program supports businesses through preferred rates, risk engineering consultations, and loss control planning aligned with the unique needs of cabinet manufacturing facilities.”

Participants also benefit from Woodsure’s deep industry expertise, including guidance on loss prevention, production safeguards, and best practices developed through years of working with wood products manufacturers across Canada.

As part of Woodsure’s broader commitment to strengthening Canada’s wood manufacturing ecosystem, this program empowers members of the association to grow their business with confidence and safeguard their operations for the long term.

Look for us at the upcoming CKCA National Conference in Kelowna and at the WMS this fall.

 Contact:

info@woodsure.ca

416-891-3174

CKCA Announces Candidates Running for Board Positions 2025/2026

We are pleased to advise CKCA members that we received 8 candidate applications to fill the 3 positions available on the CKCA Board of Directors for 2025/2026

In accordance with CKCA bylaws, at least one or more of the three positions must be filled by a CKCA manufacturer.

CKCA voting members (one voting representative per member company) will have the opportunity to select their top 3 from the list of candidates below. Proxy and Ballot forms will be available starting May 30, 2025 for advance voting, or members are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Members live on Zoom on June 19, 2025 at 1pm (ET).

We are proud to have so many excellent candidates step forward this year and we wish them all the very best (listed in alphabetical order)

Link to current Board slate (2024/2025) here»

Candidates for 2025/2026:

Jean Bakhache, Sales Consultant, Plant Canada (Supplier Member)

QC – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

 

Craig Bauslaugh, Chief Improvement Officer, Columbia Cabinets (Manufacturing Member)

BC – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

Trevor Chaulk, Owner, Chaulk Woodworking (Manufacturing Member)

Board incumbent, seeking re-election for a second 3-year term.

ON – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freya Hannah, Business Development N.A., Cieblink (Supplier Member)

ON – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

Praveena Nathan, Office Manager, Cortina Kitchens/Niico (Manufacturing Member)

ON – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Richter, Owner, Troico (Manufacturing Member)

BC – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rishelle Tarr, Director Business Operations, Westwood Cabinetry (Manufacturing Member)

BC – Bio here»

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremie Tudeau, Director of Manufacturing Technologies, Miralis

QC – Bio here»

 

CKCA partners with MNP to bring MORE business expertise!

CKCA is pleased to partner with MNP a Canadian company, founded in 1958 that offer client-focused accounting, consulting, tax and digital services in more than 150 communities. MNP is committed to the success of Canadian individuals, businesses and organization.

Why MNP?

CKCA has tapped expertise from MNP over the past 3 years through webinars and presentations and now we can continue offering great advise on topics relevant to our members. We’ve had excellent feedback from members and we want to bring you more!

“The presentation that Yohaan Thommy gave at the CKCA Regional Event in Vancouver in 2023 was excellent. It was so good, I’m still using the information shared by this presenter in my business today.”

Luke Elias, President, Muskoka Cabinet Company

What’s in it for CKCA members?

You will get a 45 minute free consultation but what makes this unique is that you will have access to the entire breadth and width of the firm (9500+ professionals) that all have various and specific expertise (tax, corporate finance etc.). Your first meeting will be with Yohaan Thommy, PMP, LSSBB, CMC, Partner, Performance Improvement & Value Creation.

How to get started?

Watch for event announcements on upcoming webinars and presentations.

Get in touch with Yohaan Thommy directly at:

yohaan.thommy@mnp.ca

905-220-3211

50 Burnhamthorpe Road West, Suite 900

Mississauga, ON L5B 3C2

mnp.ca

 

Local MeetUps BC

CKCA Local MeetUps – BC is an enthusiastic crowd!

Future locations:

Sunrise Kitchens – Surrey, BC – Fall 2025 (dates to be announced)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great to see BC members at the June 26, 2025 local meetup.

Our hosts: J&S Doors – Surrey, BC – program details here». 

CKCA welcomed 60 attendees to a local meetup at J&S Cabinet Doors. With a tour of J&S Cabinet Doors new facility, an informative presentation on Sanding by Mirka and time to network, all made for a very successful local meetup. Thanks to J&S Cabinet Doors and to Hardwoods who kindly sponsored this event.

Great to see BC members at the April 10, 2025 local meetup.

Thanks to our MeetUp Champions Sofo Kitchens and sponsor McKillican

Sofo Kitchens – Port Coquitlam – April 10, 2025 – Click here for details.

Local MeetUps – BC – 2024

CKCA hosted a second local meetup for it’s BC members on April 25 in Coquitlam at Troico, a CKCA member’s showroom.

Troico had recently undergone a showroom upgrade and were excited to show their new layout to the industry. Michael Richter, Founder and Owner welcomed 17 attendees to this event. In addition, Blum Canada was kind to sponsor the food and Cameron Porter from Blum provided a presentation “hot off the press” on the trends coming out of Eurocucina that just wrapped up in Europe a week ago.

Michael Richter says “The event went well, some good conversations and some connections made. A worthwhile event for sure!”

Amrita Bhogal, People & Culture Manager at Sunrise Kitchens (CKCA President) also attended this event and says “I think these local meetups are so important for the community to get to know each other and share insights about our industry. I would also like to thank Michael at Troico for hosting and showing us your beautiful showroom and to Blum for sharing the upcoming general information about our industry.”

Local MeetUps are a way to connect the industry in any region across Canada. The format is a Thursday evening, 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm. We are always looking for local champions who are willing to host a gathering in their facility. The agenda includes a topic of discussion and food is served by the sponsor. These events are free to members and non-members. The goal of meetups is to foster collaboration and industry community in a geographic area.

While CKCA works to build the national community,  it’s a big country and we know that creating smaller “pockets” is a personable way for industry to connect.

We look forward to seeing everyone at future local events in BC. If you’re a CKCA member and would like to host a meetup, get in touch with us at sandra@ckca.ca.

Local MeetUps – Nova Scotia

CKCA Local MeetUps – Nova Scotia – Northfield

Here’s what we’ve lined up so far for Nova Scotia this year and watch this space for future events!

Thanks to our MeetUp Champion for hosting!

 

 

Thanks to our Sponsor!

 

 

Share the news with others in the kitchen cabinet industry. Share this flyer.

Date/Location:

May 28, 2025 – P&L Furniture ( 1761 Northfield Road, Northfield, NS):

Registration here»

Agenda:

  • 4:30 – 4:45 PM – Introductions and Welcome from CKCA, P&L Furniture, Future Doors
  • 4:45 PM – Tour at P&L Furniture
  • 5:30 – 6:30 PM – Themed discussion (Topic: Achieving Formaldehyde Free in Finishing – Presented by Edwin Dueck, P&L Furniture and McFaddens (Alcea Dealer) in Dartmouth. 
  • 6:30 PM – Enjoy some food & refreshments 
  • 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Discussions and networking.

Local MeetUps – Alberta

CKCA Local MeetUps – Alberta – Calgary – Edmonton – Stony Plain

Here’s what we’ve lined up so far for Alberta this year and watch this space for future events! Thanks to our MeetUp Champions Gem Cabinets (Edmonton), Superior Cabinets Showroom (Calgary) and Rodina Cabinets (Stony Plain) 

 

Stony Plain – June 11, 2025 – Thanks for another great local meetup!

Our sincere thanks to Rodina Cabinets for welcoming 20 attendees from the industry. Photos coming soon.

Thanks to our sponsor Upper Canada Forest Products.

Calgary (Superior Cabinets Showroom) March 13, 2025

A warm welcome from Superior Cabinets at their beautiful showroom in Calgary. More than 30 attendees enjoyed networking and hearing about cabinet trends for 2025. Click here to watch the video. Program details found here.

Edmonton (Gem Cabinets) March 6, 2025

What a great event we had on March 6. Thanks to Gem Cabinets  for welcoming 20 attendees to this event. We’d also like to thank our sponsor Vention for their presentation on “Stepping in to Automation”.   Program outline here

 

We had great attendance at these local meetups in 2024! 

Calgary here».

Edmonton here».

 

 

Local MeetUps – Ontario

CKCA Local MeetUps – Ontario – Mississauga

Here’s what we’ve lined up so far for Ontario this year and watch this space for future events!

Thanks to our MeetUp Champions for hosting!

Our next MeetUp is scheduled for June 2025.

Details (topic/location) to follow.

 

March 6, 2025 – Marathon Hardware :

Thank you for hosting this event and to those who came out to connect with others in the industry!

Marathon Hardware – Mississauga – March 6, 2025

 

 

CKCA Local MeetUp  2024 – Ontario – Our first Ontario Local MeetUp was a hit!

Oakville, ON – June 13, 2024

We welcomed over 30 attendees to a local meetup at Woodoer in Oakville on June 13, 2024. We received great feedback that the event was worthwhile and lots of valuable conversations were had.

Here’s what local meetup champion, Alain Albert of Wooder had to say:

“It aligns with our commitment to fostering community and collaboration within the industry. A meetup provides a platform for sharing knowledge, networking and discussing industry trends and challenges. We believe that coming together helps drive innovation and growth for everyone.”

These local gatherings are a way to connect industry for a few hours in a geographic area that is easy to reach. We plan to do more of these in Ontario. If you would like a meetup in your area, be sure to contact sandra@ckca.ca.

Thanks to our MeetUp Sponsor:

Thanks to our CKCA Local MeetUp Champion – Woodoer

 

 

Agenda:

  • 4:30 – 4:45 PM – Introductions and Welcome from CKCA, Woodoer and CNC Automation
  • 4:45 PM – Tour at Woodoer
  • 5:30 – 6:30 PM – Themed discussion (Topic: Changing the layout of your shop – Presented by Alain Albert at Woodoer who has just gone through this process!).
  • 6:30 PM – Enjoy some food & refreshments 
  • 6:00 – 8:00 PM – Roundtable discussions and  networking

 

Trends for 2025 – IDS Show

CKCA asked member Blum Canada to give us a rundown of what they saw recently at the IDS Show in Toronto. Here’s a useful summary of trends to watch in 2025 and beyond.

Trends Shaping 2025: Smart Spaces, Bold Statements, and the New Minimalism

The IDS 2025, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from January 23rd to 26th, had the interior design world buzzing with excitement. Designers, architects, and students gathered to dive into the latest trends shaping the future of interior design. As I walked through the exhibit hall, I couldn’t help but feel eager to discover what’s in—and what’s out—for 2025 in this ever-evolving industry.

A standout trend at IDS 2025 is the growing emphasis on private, multifunctional spaces that adapt to the needs of today’s modern lifestyle. While open-concept layouts have long been a staple, the surge in remote work has sparked a major shift in how we view and design our home spaces. Homeowners are craving spacious, open environments that also provide the flexibility to create distinct areas for work, exercise, and relaxation. Smart solutions like the pocket systems were making waves at the fair for their innovative technology to transform home spaces in a split second. With a simple touch, doors glide effortlessly into the pocket, converting a home area into a vibrant gym room, a private office, or even a chic bar.


Another major trend emerging at the show is the shift toward creating warm, inviting spaces that prioritize comfort and coziness. While all-white and all-black kitchens continue to be popular, natural wood tones are making a notable comeback. These earthy tones not only brighten up the space but also create a more welcoming atmosphere to the heart of the home. A booth featuring a blend of warm wood cabinets and a timeless white marble wall and countertop perfectly illustrates how wood accents are being seamlessly integrated into kitchen design. Soft, warm lighting in cabinetry is also becoming an essential feature, enhancing the ambiance and functionality of modern kitchens.


Minimalism is still going strong in 2025, but it is the thoughtful, subtle details that truly re-define minimalist home. This made the new concealed hardware the star of the show. Its fully integrated design conceals the lift mechanism in the cabinet side, creating a clean, streamlined look that takes minimalism to the next level.

Vibrant patterns combined with earthy tones also stood out across many booths. Terracotta, olive green, and various shades of brown laid a soothing foundation for living areas, bringing calm and grounding energy. Bold accents—whether it’s a tan velvet chair, luxurious brass fixtures, or vibrant wall coverings—elevated home spaces, adding layers of personality. These vivid details not only created a dynamic visual impact but also served as a true reflection of personality, individuality, and unapologetic creativity.

In 2025, interior design is all about blending innovation with warmth and practicality with personality. The trends that took center stage at IDS 2025 are paving the way for spaces that focus on comfort, versatility, and bold self-expression. I believe we are witnessing an exciting time for design, where function meets flair in the most thrilling ways!

For more information, please contact:
Tony Henry tony.henry@blum.com
Lucy Traetto lucy.traetto@blum.com