American Franchisors Look North

A Canadian paper reports that where U.S. franchisors used to view Canada as last on its list of “domestic” targets, franchisors now see it as first in their international expansion plans.

"You know it's on their list somewhere after Wyoming, Alaska ... Canada," says Larry Weinberg, a Toronto franchise lawyer who recently co-chaired the American Bar Association's Annual Forum on Franchising in Toronto… "Now they're thinking differently," Mr. Weinberg says. "I think the word is getting out that Canada is a good place to do business." – Financial Post

In reassuring buyers who read Canada's Financial Post on the importance of its market, Keith Gerson, chief executive of U.S.-based Puroclean says that Canada is “absolutely” the place their firm needs to focus its growth. (He probably says the same thing of Mexico.) Gerson provides a metric on just how good the pickings are up North.

"Even though it's a fairly new relationship ... the Canadian businesses are outperforming the Americans in the startup phase by two to one."

That sounds really, really impressive. Uh, is there an interpreter in the house?