Active Green+Ross grew up as a Southern Ontario chain, and its resale market reflects that — deals are typically local operators buying a nearby shop, or an existing multi-shop owner adding another location within driving distance, rather than an out-of-province buyer entering cold. Alongside the franchisor's consent process, the practical work centres on the shop lease, the hoists and equipment, and Ontario's tire-recycling compliance for a business that sells and disposes of tires as part of daily operations.
Active Green+Ross resales follow the franchisor's own approval process on top of the usual purchase mechanics — here's how the two run together.
Getting approved
The offer is conditioned on franchisor consent, a mechanical review of the shop's hoists and equipment, and confirmation of the shop's used-tire handling and disposal compliance.
1–3 weeks†Active Green+Ross reviews the incoming owner's background and financial standing, and typically holds a right of first refusal it can exercise before consenting to the transfer.
3–5 weeks†Arthur Wishart Act disclosure may still be required on a resale — courts read the exemption narrowly, so we confirm early whether it applies to your specific transfer.
runs alongside consent†Getting to closing
Most shops operate from a leased bay-and-service premises; landlord consent to assign is often the practical pacing item for the whole deal.
2–6 weeks†Franchisor operational training for the incoming owner runs alongside confirming the shop's Ontario tire-recycling program registration and any equipment-service records for the hoists.
2–4 weeks†Funds, the franchise agreement, and the shop's equipment and inventory change hands, with any equipment financing or liens paid out or assumed before the date is set.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA listing confirms an established Canadian franchise network, CFA member since 1986, in business since 1983; a well-known Southern Ontario tire & auto chain.
Ontario locations spanning from London to Ottawa and Barrie to Toronto.
This is the first real decision in a Active Green+Ross resale — and it changes what you're buying, what you're taking on, and how the franchise agreement moves.
| Question | Asset purchase | Share purchase |
|---|---|---|
| What you buy | Hoists and shop equipment, tire and parts inventory, the lease, goodwill and the franchise agreement. | The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement, including its history and existing liabilities. |
| The franchise agreement | Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, usually alongside a new or amended agreement. | Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change. |
| The lease | Needs landlord consent to assign — often the pacing item for the whole closing. | Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Equipment & hoists (PPSA) | Confirmed as owned, leased or financed; PPSA searches identify any liens against shop equipment. | Equipment financing generally stays with the corporation, subject to lender consent where required. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply to the sale. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The more common structure for a single-shop Active Green+Ross resale. | Occasionally preferred where an owner is consolidating several shops under one holding structure. |
Hoists and shop equipment, tire and parts inventory, the lease, goodwill and the franchise agreement.
The shares of the corporation that holds the franchise agreement, including its history and existing liabilities.
Assigned to the buyer with franchisor consent, usually alongside a new or amended agreement.
Generally stays with the corporation, but the franchisor must consent to the ownership change.
Needs landlord consent to assign — often the pacing item for the whole closing.
Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
Confirmed as owned, leased or financed; PPSA searches identify any liens against shop equipment.
Equipment financing generally stays with the corporation, subject to lender consent where required.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased; an HST election may apply to the sale.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The more common structure for a single-shop Active Green+Ross resale.
Occasionally preferred where an owner is consolidating several shops under one holding structure.
We tell you which structure fits — before you sign anything.
No open-ended hourly surprises — the cost is confirmed in writing before any work begins.
| Type of work | Fee | How it's confirmed |
|---|---|---|
| Straightforward purchase or sale | Starting from $3,388.87 Our charges · taxes included | Confirmed in writing once we see the agreement. |
| Larger or more complex deal | Quoted to scope | Short call → fixed written quote before any work begins. |
| Searches, filings & third-party fees | At cost | Itemized on your invoice, not marked up. |
A single Active Green+Ross shop changing hands between an existing owner and an incoming owner-operator, with the current technicians and lease continuing largely as-is.
Start my file →An existing multi-shop operator adding another Active Green+Ross location, a franchisor requiring equipment or signage upgrades as a condition of consent, or a shop where aging hoist equipment needs to be priced into the deal.
Book a consultation →Not sure which you are? That's our job to figure out, not yours. As a rough guide, most deals under a couple of million dollars are the first kind — above that, you're usually in Mergers & Acquisitions territory.
Generally, yes — Ontario's tire-stewardship framework applies to whoever is currently handling used tires in the course of business, so this is one of the compliance items we confirm is properly in place for the buyer before closing, not something that's assumed to just carry over quietly.
It is — the chain's concentration across Southern Ontario means a fair number of resales involve an operator who already runs one shop adding a nearby second or third location, rather than a first-time buyer entering the system cold. That pattern can affect how the franchisor structures its consent review.
Age, service history, and whether anything is still under financing or subject to a lien are the main items. Equipment condition is one of the more common places where a buyer's expectations and a seller's asking price come apart, so we treat it as a genuine diligence line, not a formality.
Possibly, yes. Ontario courts have read the Arthur Wishart Act's resale exemption narrowly, so being an established Ontario operator on both sides doesn't settle the question — we confirm whether disclosure applies to your specific deal.
Most single-shop resales run about 30 to 75 days, generally paced by the lease assignment and the franchisor's consent review running in parallel.
Related
Where we close franchise resale deals
Treadstone Law is an independent law firm. We act for buyers and sellers of franchise businesses. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or retained by Active Green+Ross or its franchisor.
Tell us about your Active Green+Ross resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.