Our History
Omer Gagnon first opened his optical business in 1968, after an illustrious career as a boxer.
He was proud to be the first independent optician in Sudbury – and it gave him an opportunity to forge strong relationships with optical wholesalers from far and beyond, and quickly amass the largest selection of frames in northern Ontario. From his first small 400-square foot store on Elm Street (above the old Kresge’s) Gagnon Opticians grew fast, moving to Lisgar street where they remained 17 years, then to the Supermall, and finally to its present 4000 square foot bright, state-of-the-art location at 1650 LaSalle Boulevard.
In 1975, when Omer’s wife Jeannette completed her optician certification and joined the firm, Gagnon hit its stride. It quickly became one of the first optical outlets in northern Ontario with an in-house lab able to manufacture prescription lenses – without rarely having to send orders out to Toronto. Gagnon quickly became a recognized name in eyewear manufacture and lens innovation for miles around.
In the mid 80s, Omer’s daughter Josée Gagnon – a true dynamo – joined the team and took the lead of Gagnon Opticians. Josée worked tirelessly building lifelong relationships with her customers while overseeing a staff of knowledgeable opticians, lab technicians & receptionists.
In July 2023, Josée found a way to ensure her family’s business would remain local while maintaining the same heart & soul her & her father had built and sold the practice to one of her opticians, Amber Fournier – who is now the proud new owner of Gagnon Opticians. Josée is now happily retired after a beautiful & successful career.
Offering complete in-house capabilities to fit, form and quickly fill glass and lens prescriptions in-house, Gagnon today ensures each customer a friendly, full-service experience – the only Ontario optical shop of its size and on-site capabilities north of Barrie.
Meet AMBER
Amber Fournier
Registered Optician
Owner-Operator
Local Leader.
Entrepreneur.
Hockey Mom.
After starting a job in an Optical store in highschool and falling in love with the profession, Amber Fournier graduated with honours from the Georgian college Opticianry program in 2005 and has been working as a registered optician in Sudbury ever since. Born & raised in Garson, she values community & family and has a strong passion for helping others. Taking the reins of Gagnon Opticians in July 2023 has been a longtime dream and she strives to maintain the same friendly, personal service that her friend & mentor, Josée Gagnon has modeled over their years of working together.
Working in various optical settings over her career has given Amber a diverse understanding of all things optical related. In 2011, Amber pioneered ‘Northern Low Vision Care’, a mobile low vision service, helping patients with vision loss due to vision disease such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetes & cataracts. After watching her grandfather with macular degeneration struggle with everyday tasks such as reading the newspaper, mail, tv, pill bottles, she vowed to help him maintain his independence and found various low vision tools to help him do just that. This service quickly became a success and is now proudly offered within Gagnon Opticians as one of the largest selections of low vision products in Northern Ontario.
One of the highlights of her career was travelling to Kenya in 2016 with a small group of volunteer nurses from Sudbury and performing vision screening & providing eyeglasses to hundreds of people in need. They volunteered at a children’s home, Zawadi la Tumaini, (meaning ‘Gift of Hope’ in Swahili) which was founded & is still run by a young woman from Hanmer, ON, Jacqueline Villeneuve. This is a platform that is still near & dear to her heart and she continues to support the ZLT family whenever she can.
When she’s not at work, you can find Amber & her husband Eric at a hockey arena with their son, Owen & daughter Olivia, or at home enjoying time with family, friends & their beloved fur baby, Howie.
Phil Blais
Optician/Office Manager
Phil has been a registered optician at Gagnon for over 20 years – ever since his graduation from Georgian College. Not only is he an optical expert who assists clients with their vision needs, he is also the super-organized office manager. Phil ensures the Gagnon operation works like a well-oiled machine: the showroom is always well-stocked and client records are securely managed. When not keeping the Gagnon office shipshape, Phil enjoys travelling with his wife, spending time with family and friends, and – as a diehard football fan – catching a game or two.
Cam Byne
Optician
Cam became a registered optician at Gagnon in 2015 when he relocated to Sudbury. Prior to that, he worked in a large optometry clinic in Owen Sound where he developed a special interest in the treatment of ocular diseases. Born and raised in Southern Ontario, Cam first worked in the fisheries management and agriculture industry before returning to school in 2009 to study opticianry. When not assisting people with their vision care needs, you will find Cam out fishing in his kayak, sitting in his deer stand or in his canoe exploring the area waterways with his wife Patti.
Sharlee Boulanger-Lefebvre
Optician
Sharlee first joined Gagnon Opticians in 2018 for her first work placement for school as a student optician. She continued to work as a student optician, then an intern optician and she quickly made Gagnon Opticians her home. After excelling in school and passing all of her board exams with flying colours, she became a registered optician and is the perfect addition to our optician family. She offers excellent customer service in both french and english. When she’s not at work she enjoys spending time exploring the outdoors with her fiancé and her dog.
Racheal Jeanveau
Bookkeeper
For more than 15 years now, Racheal has been Gagnon Opticians right hand girl, assisting with anything that needs to be done. She started here many years ago as a receptionist, but is now the trusted bookkeeper with an office downstairs. Customers may not see her, but Racheal is the rock of the company, keeping all the numbers and files in order. Her role is to ensure that insurance payments are made promptly and accurately – and that her coworkers always get paid on time. When not balancing the books, Racheal enjoys a good novel with a steaming cup of tea.
Brooke Kowaluk
Receptionist
As the newest addition to our team, Brooke has very quickly learned the ropes as a part-time receptionist. Brooke is in her first year of nursing at Cambrian College. When she’s not at school, working or studying, Brooke enjoys a wide range of sports & spending time with family & friends.
Gail Jeanveau
Receptionist
After recently moving back home to Sudbury from London, Gail has quickly become an invaluable member of our Gagnon Opticians family as a full-time receptionist. Her warm smile and calm demeanor is always a wonderful way to be greeted when you walk through the door.
Steve Weirmeir
Lab Manager
Steve has been working at Gagnon Opticians since 2012 and has been the lab manager since 2016. He loves his job here at Gagnon Opticians and loves the staff, thinking of them like his second family. He finds the work very rewarding and being able to give someone the gift of sight brings him great joy, especially those patients who have never worn glasses before.
Zack Tymchuk
Lab Technician
Zack entered the world of optics in 2015 here at Gagnon Opticians. He was presented a unique and surprisingly creative career opportunity with the privilege to train under qualified and respected members of the field donning a combined 30 + years of experience working with and on the cutting edge of laboratory equipment. He fell comfortable in front of the machines and into the family. When his time is not devoted to crafting quality spectacles he can be found behind a drum kit, in a book, or on the road, chasing the promise of new experiences. Though life changes, ebbs and flows, he knows he will always have a home here at Gagnon Opticians.
Cindy Thomson
Lab Technician
For the past decade, Cindy has been a technical expert in the optical industry. Since joining the Gagnon team in 2018 , she has been one of the master craftsmen providing quality lenses for our customers’ vision needs.
Hours of Operation
| MON | 8am – 6pm |
| TUE | 8am – 6pm |
| WED | 8am – 6pm |
| THU | 8am – 8pm |
| FRI | 8am – 5pm |
| SAT |
10am - 3pm (Sept-June) |
| SUN | Closed |
* holiday hours may differ *
Gagnon Opticians
Phone:
(705) 560-5151
1650 Lasalle Blvd
Sudbury, ON P3A 2A1
