FirstLight Home Care Signs Master Deal for Its First Expansion into Canada

FirstLight Home Care, a provider of non-medical home care, is expanding into Canada under a master franchise agreement with Sam Riad, CEO of Comfort of Senior Living. He will operate as FirstLight Home Care of Canada.

Riad already operates 10 Comfort of Senior Living brand retirement communities across Ontario. This new agreement will allow him to introduce the FirstLight Home Care brand to a new market. FirstLight provides home care for seniors, veterans, people with disabilities, and individuals who are recuperating by delivering services to individuals in their home.

"We are thrilled to bring our FirstLight brand to Canada," said Jeff Bevis, CEO and co-founder of FirstLight Home Care. "International expansion has always been part of our strategy, and we believe we have found a solid master franchise partner in Sam Riad."

Canadian CEO Brad Rye will lead the implementation of FirstLight Home Care into Canada. For the past 30 years, he has owned and operated various Homes for Special Care (facilities funded and licensed annually by Canada's Ministry of Health). He is co-founder and former president of the Ontario Homes for Special Needs Association, representing 500 homes and 5,000 residents across Ontario.

FirstLight Home Care of Canada plans to open six locations immediately across Ontario, with an aggressive goal to establish 150 more locations through expansion and franchise opportunities across the country.

Since opening its first franchise location in 2010, FirstLight has more than 220 locations in more than 30 states in the U.S.