Eighteen years ago

, a magazine with the unlikely name of In-Home Show News was launched. It was a black and white magazine for consumers who were about to build their own homes. The idea was that the magazine was like a home show that came to your home. The key component was a brochure order form that enabled readers to obtain free brochures from participating manufacturers.

Soon colour pages and professional photography was added, articles were improved, circulation increased, and Homes and Cottages magazine evolved. It is now Canada's largest building and renovating magazine, with a duo audience of consumers and building industry professionals.

We have always surveyed you, our readers, to find out what you like about the magazine, what you don't like and how we can change to cater to the fluctuating demands of our building and renovating audience. In 2000 it became clear that you liked the fact that we are Canadian with Canadian products and content and, as a direct result of this, the name was changed to Canadian Homes and Cottages