Staples Canada ULC, operating as Staples (Bureau en Gros in Quebec),[1] is a Canadian retail sales company owned by Sycamore Partners.[2] Staples was founded by Leo Kahn[3] and Thomas G. Stemberg.[4] Since 2017, Staples Canada has operated independently from Staples' U.S. retail and U.S. business-to-business (B2B) operations.[5]
 Logo since 2018 | |
 Staples Canada Headquarters in Richmond Hill, Ontario | |
| Formerly | The Business Depot (1991–1994) Staples Business Depot (1994–2008) |
|---|---|
| Company type | Private |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Founder | Jack Bingleman |
| Headquarters | Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada |
Number of locations | 302 |
Key people | Rachel Huckle (CEO) Evelyn Sutherland (CFO) John Defranco (CCO) Brian Mcdougall (CRO) Andrew Go (CDO) |
| Products | Technology (Computers/Business Machines/Entertainment), Furniture, Office Supplies, Copy and Print Services, Tech Services, School Supplies, Legal Supplies, Facility Supplies |
| Owner | Sycamore Partners |
Number of employees | 15,000+ |
| Website | staples.ca |
History
The Business Depot Ltd. was founded by Jack Bingleman in 1991, with Staples as a substantial investor, opening Business Depot stores in Canada.[6] The American counterpart acquired the Canadian company in 1994.[7] The company later began converting locations in English-speaking markets to Staples.[8] In 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express.[9] In 2017, Staples was acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners for $6.9 billion. Under the new owner, Staples Inc. was split into three "independently managed and capitalized" entities; Staples Canada serves as one of these entities, alongside Staples North American Delivery and Staples U.S. Retail.[5][10][11]
ServiceOntario
In 2024, some ServiceOntario locations will be closed and replaced with kiosks inside Staples Canada.[12] These stores will be compensated with taxpayer money for upgrades required to provide these services, at an estimated cost of 1.75 million dollars.[13] The Ontario New Democratic Party has criticized the Ford government for this decision.[14] A request was made to the Financial Accountability Office by the Liberal Party in regards to the deal.[15] These kiosks are a pilot project intended to reduce wait times and increase availability of services, with further partnerships with other businesses being investigated.[16] Two Walmart stores will also replace standalone ServiceOntario locations.[17] Ford has compared the situation to how some Canada Post offices operate inside Shopper's Drug Mart locations.[13]