RONA Closes Offerings

On November 5, 2002, RONA Inc. closed a public offering consisting of a new issue of 10,951,716 common shares and a secondary offering by some of its wholly owned subsidiaries of 168,294 common shares at $13.50 per share, for a total offering of $150.12 million. Common shares underlying the underwriters’ over allotment option may be sold by certain existing shareholders who wish to do so in conformity with agreed upon arrangements or be issued by RONA.

The common shares were offered through an underwriting syndicate co-led by BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. and Scotia Capital Inc., and including National Bank Financial Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and Desjardins Securities Inc.

Concurrently with the offering, RONA completed a corporate reorganization, which included certain modifications to its share capital, the renegotiation of the commercial agreements with its dealer-owners, as well as certain amendments to its credit agreement.

RONA was represented by Ogilvy Renault, with a team that included Jean-Pierre Colpron, Paul Raymond, Renaud Coulombe, Eric Stevens, Luc Boucher, Natalie Brown, Félix Duval, Catherine Mateu and Alain Ricard.

Robert Paré, Gilles Leclerc, Jean-Pierre Chamberland and François-Bernard Poulin of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP acted for the underwriters.