MONTREAL, Aug. 12, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Tire Family of
Companies and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities welcomed
Benoit Huot to its team today with
an announcement and swimming clinic for children in Montreal, Quebec.
Benoit, winner of nine Paralympic Games gold medals for
Canada in swimming, is an
inspiration to people in his home province of Quebec and across Canada. The two-year partnership will deepen
Canadian Tire's connection to community sport. Benoit will
serve as an ambassador for Jumpstart, which helps children in
financial need participate in sports and recreational
activities.
"Benoit and the Canadian Paralympic team inspire us with their
passion and their relentless focus on achieving their dreams and
improving their lives through sport," said Jean Parisien, Canadian Tire Vice-President,
Quebec Region. "We all wish Benoit the best of luck as he competes
in the International Paralympic Committee Swimming Championships in
Montreal this week," he added.
"Canadian Tire is one of the strongest brands in the country and
I am happy to join the Family of Companies," said Benoit Huot. "Canadian Tire supports athletes of
all skill levels, whether they are starting out on the playground,
or competing at an international level. They recognize that sport
has the power to unite families, communities and the entire
nation."
The announcement is an extension of the sport partnership
announcement made earlier this year that positioned Canadian Tire,
Sport Chek and Sports Experts as premier partners of the Canadian
Olympic Committee and confirmed partnership agreements with the
Canadian Paralympic Committee.
The partnership announcement was made today during a swim clinic
hosted by Benoit and sponsored by Canadian Tire at the Jean-Claude
Malépart Centre on Ontario Street in Montreal. Carole
Poirier, MNA for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and first
Vice-President of the Quebec National Assembly, was on hand for the
announcement.
Sport enriches family life and helps build communities. The
Company supports amateur athletes and active families from
playground to podium because it knows what it takes to succeed in
whatever sporting activity Canadians choose and because it believes
in the power of sport.
This new partnership builds on a strong foundation of existing
partnerships not only with the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic
Committees, but also with the Canada Games, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, Hockey Canada,
Snowboard Canada, Alpine Canada
and athlete partnerships with Sidney
Crosby, Jonathan Toews,
Rosie MacLennan, Christine Sinclair, Meaghan Mikkelson, Chris
Del Bosco, Jon Montgomery,
Erik Guay, Maelle Ricker, Charles
Hamelin and Kaillie Humphries. The Canadian Tire Family of
Companies will continue to announce new athlete sponsorship
agreements in 2013, supporting Canada's best and brightest talent.
About Canadian Tire Corporation
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX:CTC.a) (TSX:CTC) is a
Family of Companies that includes Canadian Tire Retail, Partsource,
Gas+, FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts,
National Sports, S3 and Atmosphere), Mark's, Canadian Tire
Financial Services, and Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities.
With nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets from coast-to-coast,
our primary retail business categories - Automotive, Living,
Fixing, Playing and Apparel - are supported and strengthened by our
Financial Services division. More than 85,000 people are employed
across the Canadian Tire enterprise, which was founded in 1922 and
remains one of Canada's most
recognized and trusted brands. Canadian Tire Retail, Sport Chek and
Sports Experts are proud to be Premier National Partners of the
Canadian Olympic Team. For more information, visit
Corp.CanadianTire.ca
About Jumpstart
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is a national charitable
program dedicated to providing financially disadvantaged kids with
the opportunity to experience the benefits of organized sport and
recreation. With an extensive, national network of more than 332
local chapters, Jumpstart helps kids in communities across
Canada by covering the costs
associated with registration, equipment and/or
transportation. Supported by the Canadian Tire Family of
Companies, which includes Canadian Tire Retail, PartSource, Gas+,
Sport Chek, Atmosphere, Mark's and Canadian Tire Financial
Services, Jumpstart has enabled more than 600 000 Canadian kids and
counting to get in the game since 2005. For more information or to
lend your support, visit jumpstart.canadiantire.ca.
About Benoit Huot
A triple medalist at the London Paralympics, Benoît is one of
the best-known Paralympic athletes in Canada and around the world. He won nine
Paralympic Games gold medals for Canada in swimming. Nicknamed "The Shark" for
his power and speed in the water and his impressive record of
achievements, he has won more than forty medals at four Paralympic
Games, three Commonwealth Games and four World Championships.
Benoît was born with a club foot. He never let his disability slow
him down; he began swimming at the age of eight.
SOURCE CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED