Welcome to Backyard Chickens, the pulse beat of the chicken community. I think it would be good if you would check out the thread, "Canadians, check in here." for information regarding best breeds for the climate, best type of coop etc. I'm sorry I don't know anything about the Sussex breed but, Chanticleers were developed in Canada to survive the severe weather..
Welcome . It's horrible when your chickens get taken or killed. There's no doubt about that. I'm glad you started over because there is much joy to be had in raising chickens.
Welcome to Backyard Chickens this is a wonderful site to explore enjoy please glad you gave some a good chance hardware cloth the only way to protect them