Launch sequencing turns "we are launching in Canada next year" into a ranked list of provinces and product families, each with its own conditions for going live. The result is a calendar that your sales team, your distributor and your finance team can all work from, because every date depends on something checkable rather than a hope.
What launch sequencing is
It is a structured comparison of Canadian markets for your specific boiler line. We look at each province and territory through five lenses and score them against your goals.
- Channel coverage. Do you have, or can you sign, a partner who stocks and supports the product there?
- Market fit. How homes and buildings heat there. Compare Alberta, where gas is the main heat for 76% of homes, with Quebec, where electricity plays that role for 70% (2023 figures from Statistics Canada). A gas condensing line and an electric boiler line will rank those provinces very differently.
- Paperwork. Which provincial authority oversees boilers and pressure equipment, and what your advisors still need to confirm. Our regulatory mapping service builds this list.
- Language and documents. Whether French materials are ready where they are needed, which matters most in Quebec.
- Dealer readiness. Whether training, a locator and marketing support exist before the first contractor orders.
Who it is for
Brands and importers with no Canadian sales yet get the most from it, because every later decision depends on the sequence. It is also useful for a brand that launched broadly, found that half its provinces underperform, and needs to decide where to double down and where to pause.
Distributors adding a new boiler line use it too, usually at a smaller scale: which branches and regions get stock and training first.
What is included
- A province and territory comparison for your range, with sources linked.
- A ranked launch order, normally in two or three waves.
- Written gates for each wave: channel signed, documents ready, French assets finished where needed, dealer kit live.
- A product-family order, so the simplest or best-documented models lead.
- A risk list with owners, plus the questions your certification body and advisors need to answer.
- A one-page summary your leadership can approve.
Timeline
- Week 1: we gather your range, current coverage and targets by phone and email.
- Weeks 2–3: province comparison, channel review and draft sequence.
- Week 4: revised sequence with gates and owners, and a walk-through call.
Larger ranges take longer. The scope and the price are confirmed in writing before work begins.
How results are measured
A sequence is judged by whether each wave opens on its gates and then sells through. We set three measures per wave: the date every gate was met, dealer activation (contractors trained and listed), and sell-through from distributor to contractor. If a wave misses, the gates show where.
What a gate looks like in practice
A gate is written as a test anyone can check. "Distributor ready" is too vague. "Partner has stock of the three lead models in two Calgary branches and has trained six counter staff" is a gate. Writing gates this way stops arguments later, because everyone can see whether the condition is met.
Mistakes to avoid
- Ranking provinces by population alone. A large province with no channel partner is a slower start than a smaller one with a strong distributor.
- Ignoring how buildings heat. Statistics Canada's fuel shares change the addressable market for each boiler type.
- Treating federal and provincial rules as one list. NRCan's guide to the Energy Efficiency Regulations notes that some provinces add their own requirements.
- Opening Quebec last-minute. French documentation work takes time; see Quebec French readiness.
- Launching before dealers can be found. If your locator is empty, demand goes to a competitor's installer. Pair the first wave with dealer marketing support.
For a worked example of a three-wave sequence, read the launch sequencing guide. To start, call, text or email with your range and current coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Why not launch nationally on one date?
Because the conditions differ by province. Channel coverage, language work, provincial paperwork and dealer training rarely finish everywhere at once, and a national date forces you to open some provinces with gaps that contractors notice and remember.
How long does a launch sequence take to build?
For a single product family and a handful of provinces, the plan usually takes a few weeks once we have your data. Larger ranges and all thirteen jurisdictions take longer, and we agree the timeline in writing at the start.
Do you decide whether our product can be sold in a province?
No. That depends on certification, registration and provincial rules that your own advisors confirm. We record those steps as gates in the sequence so the calendar waits for their answer.
What data do you need from us?
Your product range, current sales by region if you have any, distributor coverage, documentation status, warranty and service set-up, and the commercial targets your leadership has set. Rough figures are fine for a first pass.