Buying or selling an existing FASTSIGNS centre in Ontario means buying a working signage and graphics-production business — the wide-format printers, cutting and finishing equipment, and an active pipeline of commercial and project-based signage work all move with the centre alongside the FASTSIGNS name. Franchisor consent and a right of first refusal are near-universal conditions, and they typically set the pace of the whole closing.
FASTSIGNS 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 sets price and terms, conditioned on FASTSIGNS' consent to the transfer and a review of the centre's open project pipeline and commercial accounts, not just the equipment on the floor.
1–2 weeks†The franchisor reviews the buyer and the deal terms, and may exercise a right of first refusal to take over the centre itself instead of approving your purchase.
3–6 weeks, typically†Arthur Wishart Act disclosure may still be required even where the deal is framed as a private resale — Ontario courts read the resale exemption narrowly, so this gets confirmed early rather than assumed.
assessed early, in parallel†Getting to closing
Landlord's consent to assign the centre's lease, alongside confirming ownership and financing on wide-format printers, cutters, and CNC routers.
2–6 weeks†Training on the centre's production workflow and design software is typically required ahead of the franchisor's final sign-off.
1–3 weeks, often overlapping†Funds, keys, and the new franchise agreement change hands together, with an equipment and inventory count settled the same day.
1 day, once conditions are met†CFA listing confirms an established Canadian franchise network, CFA member since 1994, including a named Windsor, ON franchisee testimonial.
Windsor, ON franchisee named directly on the CFA listing among its Canadian franchise network.
This is the first real decision in a FASTSIGNS 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 | The centre's assets — production equipment, leasehold improvements, inventory, open project files, and the existing location's franchise agreement, subject to consent. | The shares of the corporation operating the centre — everything it owns, and everything it owes. |
| Franchisor consent & ROFR | Required for the specific centre changing hands — often the pacing condition on the whole deal. | Required for the change of control itself, with the franchisor reviewing who is actually taking over. |
| Production equipment & PPSA | Wide-format printers, cutters, and routers are itemized, valued, and checked against PPSA registrations for liens or financing. | Equipment stays with the corporation; existing financing continues as a company liability. |
| The lease | Needs the landlord's consent to assign, timed alongside the franchisor's own consent. | Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause. |
| Tax angle | Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased. | Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares. |
| Typical use | The default for a single centre changing hands. | Less common — sometimes used where an operator holds multiple centres under one company. |
The centre's assets — production equipment, leasehold improvements, inventory, open project files, and the existing location's franchise agreement, subject to consent.
The shares of the corporation operating the centre — everything it owns, and everything it owes.
Required for the specific centre changing hands — often the pacing condition on the whole deal.
Required for the change of control itself, with the franchisor reviewing who is actually taking over.
Wide-format printers, cutters, and routers are itemized, valued, and checked against PPSA registrations for liens or financing.
Equipment stays with the corporation; existing financing continues as a company liability.
Needs the landlord's consent to assign, timed alongside the franchisor's own consent.
Usually stays in place unless the lease has its own change-of-control clause.
Buyer gets a stepped-up cost base on the assets purchased.
Seller may access the lifetime capital gains exemption on qualifying shares.
The default for a single centre changing hands.
Less common — sometimes used where an operator holds multiple centres under one company.
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 FASTSIGNS centre changing hands between one buyer and one seller — production equipment, a lease, and a standard franchisor consent process.
Start my file →An operator selling several centres as one operating company, or a resale where corporate-account eligibility, a right of first refusal, or a disclosure question needs to be worked through first.
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.
This gets addressed directly in the purchase agreement rather than left to assumption. Work-in-progress orders, customer deposits already collected, and any materials on order are typically itemized and allocated between buyer and seller as part of closing, so nothing falls through the gap on changeover day.
Not automatically. Some B2B signage franchise systems tie eligibility for national or corporate account programs to the individual franchisee rather than the specific location, so a buyer shouldn't assume that revenue continues under new ownership without confirming it with the franchisor as part of the consent process.
Not necessarily. Ontario courts have read the resale-disclosure exemption narrowly, and franchisor involvement in the resale can be enough to trigger a full disclosure requirement anyway. We confirm whether it applies to your deal early, not from the word 'resale' alone.
Wide-format printers, cutters, and finishing equipment are generally itemized and valued as part of the asset sale, with PPSA searches confirming what's financed or leased. What's included in price, and payout of any liens, gets negotiated as part of the purchase agreement.
Often, yes. An operating company holding multiple centres is more commonly sold as shares, so every location's franchise agreement, lease, and equipment financing stay intact at once rather than being individually re-consented.
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 FASTSIGNS or its franchisor.
Tell us about your FASTSIGNS resale — we'll point you the right way and confirm the cost in writing before any work begins.