By David Chilton Saggers
As different as they are, dine-in restaurants that reflect the splendour of rural Ontario and painted yellow lines and maintenance in parking lots have something in common: a unique concept. These Canadian franchises demonstrate the vastness of the country’s franchising industry.
EverLine Coatings and Services
All parking lots are not equal. Some are poorly maintained. Their surfaces are uneven or potholed. The painted lines that mark individual spaces have faded. In other words, they need work. And that’s something John Evans understands very well. So well that business is booming for the founder and CEO of EverLine Coatings and Services.
Since its beginning in 2012, EverLine has grown coast to coast in Canada with 23 franchises. It’s also soared to over 100 franchises in the U.S. since launching there in 2022.
Evans opened an EverLine location in Edmonton, Alberta in 2016, and sold his first franchise in that city the following year. His next franchise opened in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and since then there has been cross-country expansion.
As its name suggests, EverLine Coatings and Services maintains parking lot surfaces and paints the lines that separate one spot from another. Their specialty is niche, but that doesn’t mean its simple. There are well-thought-out procedures and preferences in place to ensure growth and success. Evans isn’t punning when he says he’s looking for investors who are “driven.”
EverLine is a business-to-business system, he says, and franchisees will need the communications skills to build and prospect in the B2B space. They’ll need executive ability, too, because Evans prefers owner-operators, and they’ll have to manage the growth of their business. However, if they are what he calls “absentee” investors, then they’ll have to hire a good general manager and give them 10 per cent equity in the franchise. The average age of an EverLine franchisee is 35 to 45, with about 10 per cent of them being women or husband and wife teams. And recently, Evans notes, EverLine was recognized as a top franchisor for women.
The cost of a franchise runs from $188,000 to $394,000, including a truck and trailer, equipment, and tools. Training is online and takes 12 weeks. There is also one week in Houston, Texas, at EverLine’s U.S. head office so investors can experience “a week in the life of a franchisee,” says Evans. “And there’s a nice big open parking lot for them to practice.”
The benefits of investing with EverLine are plentiful, he continues. Franchisees become part of a national brand, for one thing. For another, they can build a business for themselves but not by themselves, as Evans himself has extensive experience in scaling up an enterprise.
Turtle Jack’s Muskoka Grill
Step into a Turtle Jack’s Muskoka Grill and you’re transported to cottage country—an experience rooted in warmth, comfort, and connection. That’s intentional, says Peter Large, brand leader for Turtle Jack’s. Each of the 17 franchises—and one corporate location—brings to life a refined Muskoka cottage experience, designed to feel both relaxed and elevated. “It’s where guests can disconnect from the everyday and reconnect with what matters,” Large says from his office in Burlington, Ontario. And yes, there is a Turtle Jack’s in Muskoka, in Port Carling—and while this unit is seasonal, the broader system operates year-round. Most can be found around Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe, although there is a location in West Kelowna, British Columbia and further expansion planned in that province for 2027.
James Lishman began Turtle Jack’s in Burlington in 1992 with a single store, and in 2019 he sold the business to MTY Group, positioning the brand for its next phase of thoughtful, strategic growth. One of the ways the brand is expanding is through strategic partnerships, including with DoubleTree Hotels, says Large. There are already Turtle Jack’s restaurants in two DoubleTree locations, and MTY intends to use others as an expansion vehicle in cities such as Prince George, British Columbia.
As for who’s investing in Turtle Jack’s, Large says potential franchisees come from a range of backgrounds. However, what they all have in common is the desire to work in the restaurant, he says, with a strong preference for owner-operators who are actively involved in the business. Previous business or hospitality experience is considered a strong asset. In person training takes eight weeks in Ontario, in Mississauga, London, or Hamilton. There’s another week of online instruction, as well.
Turtle Jack’s operates in the upscale casual space, offering a comfortably elevated dining experience with an average spend of approximately $40 per guest. The ideal restaurant footprint is approximately 5,000 square feet, with renovated spaces being the preferred option as they can offer efficiencies in build and development. All locations have liquor licences, and non-alcoholic drinks are also a bestseller. That’s because many customers 30 or younger have less interest in alcohol, Large explains, and Turtle Jack’s extensive “mocktails” selection is part of a strategy to satisfy that demographic. Taking a closer look at their demographics, the brand strongly resonates with guests seeking a welcoming, high-quality dining experience—particularly families and social groups.
The strength of the system lies in its balanced and disciplined approach to growth, Large says. One of them is what he calls “principled sales growth”—focusing on sustainable performance rather than growth for growth’s sake. “The relationship between franchisor and franchisee must be win-win,” he says.
