Toronto-based Hudson’s Bay Company has put Toronto agencies Padulo Integrated and Vickers & Benson Companies in charge of its HBC Rewards loyalty program.

Padulo will handle positioning and general advertising while direct marketing and in-store efforts will be directed by V&B Arnold.

Toronto-based Staples Business Depot has hired Toronto-based Genesis Media to handle television and radio planning and buying for both English and French Canada. The assignment is valued at approximately $12 million.

Toronto’s Yahoo! Canada has chosen Bates Canada of Toronto as its advertising agency. Massey-Forget of Montreal handles French-language public relations.

Grey Worldwide Northwest in Vancouver has been hired by Spence Diamonds, a diamond retailer and trader based in Vancouver, to handle its radio creative assignment. Also new to Grey is the B.C. Wine Institute business. The Institute has picked the agency as its first AOR with a mandate to reposition the B.C. wine region to consumers. The account was previously handled in-house.

Publicis Montreal has picked up two new pieces of business including all communications for 149-store retail chain Le Chateau, of Mount Royal, Que. DIM Canada of Montreal, international marketer of hosiery and lingerie, has hired Publicis to handle its advertising. Toronto’s Optimedia will handle planning and buying.

Navision Canada has appointed Lowe RMP of Toronto as its direct response agency. Navision, a global provider of business software, is headquartered in Denmark.