TORONTO, April 9, 2020 /CNW/ - Canadian Tire
Corporation (TSX:CTC, TSX:CTC.a) (CTC) today launched the
$5 million Canadian Tire COVID-19
Response Fund to help Canadians and communities respond to the
current COVID-19 pandemic. This fund is comprised of two donations
of $1 million each to the Canadian
Red Cross and United Way Centraide Canada, as well as up to
$3 million in personal
protective equipment (PPE) and essential products from across our
family of companies.
Our $1 million donation to the
Canadian Red Cross will help to support the health and well-being
of Canadians through the use of its field hospitals, relief
supplies, and isolation sites, in addition to the provision of PPE
for Red Cross personnel responding to the needs in communities
across the country. United Way Centraide Canada will direct our
$1 million donation to strengthening
support for more vulnerable Canadians by providing funding for
vital community social services such as food delivery, outreach to
seniors living in low-income or precarious housing, crisis lines,
women's and homeless shelters, and support for frontline community
workers.
Our $3 million product donation
will be to support frontline medical workers and community
organizations in need. In addition to donating PPE, we are prepared
to meet the demand for other essential products – such as cleaning
supplies, scrubs, running and safety shoes – needed by
frontline medical workers and community organizations. If your
frontline medical or community organization is in need of essential
products, please send us a request for support through our website
here.
"Working through the networks of the Canadian Red Cross and
United Way Centraide Canada will help us quickly reach the
communities who need our help the most," said Greg Hicks, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Canadian Tire Corporation. "With such a large national
footprint in communities across Canada, and the backing of our family of
companies, we are in a unique position to provide frontline and
community workers with products that will help keep them safe and
effective on the job."
In addition to the support provided through our Canadian Tire
COVID-19 Response Fund, Canadian Tire Associate Dealers continue to
play a critical role in supporting their local communities as the
COVID-19 pandemic evolves. Collectively, Associate Dealers have
independently donated 160,000 masks, 164,000 pairs of gloves, and
20,000 litres of hand sanitizer to local hospitals, nursing homes,
and community organizations in need. Several weeks ago, we stopped
the replenishment of N95 masks to our stores. We have halted all
sales of N95 and ASTM certified masks at our stores and online and
are donating all remaining supply to frontline healthcare workers
through the Canadian Tire COVID-19 Response Fund. We have also made
our supply chain available to the healthcare industry to move PPE
products across the country.
"As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the Canadian Red
Cross is adapting its services and providing expertise to help meet
the needs emerging across the country," said Conrad Sauvé,
President and CEO, Canadian Red Cross. "The funds received today
from Canadian Tire Corporation will help the Red Cross continue its
collaborative work to assist with the unique needs arising as a
result of the COVID-19 pandemic."
"Now more than ever, it is critical that we all work together to
protect the most vulnerable in our communities and we're thankful
to Canadian Tire Corporation for their generous support," said
Dan Clement, President and CEO,
United Way Centraide Canada."Through this partnership, we
will ensure the most vulnerable have access to life's essentials
such as food and shelter, and ensure community partners and
agencies can continue to do their vital work in local communities
across the country."
To learn more about how we are helping our employees, customers,
and communities navigate through COVID-19, please visit
corp.canadiantire.ca/COVID19.
ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX: CTC.A) (TSX: CTC) or
"CTC", is a family of businesses that includes a Retail segment, a
Financial Services division and CT REIT. Our retail business is led
by Canadian Tire, which was founded in 1922 and provides Canadians
with products for life in Canada
across its Living, Playing, Fixing, Automotive and Seasonal &
Gardening divisions. PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the
Canadian Tire network. The Retail segment also includes Mark's, a
leading source for casual and industrial wear; Pro Hockey Life, a
hockey specialty store catering to elite players; SportChek, Hockey
Experts, Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport and
Atmosphere, which offer the best active wear brands; and Party City
Canada, a leading, one-stop shopping destination for party supplies
and seasonal celebrations. The more than 1,740 retail and gasoline
outlets are supported and strengthened by CTC's Financial Services
division and the tens of thousands of people employed across
Canada and around the world by the
Company and its local dealers, franchisees and petroleum retailers.
In addition, CTC owns and operates Helly Hansen, a leading global
brand in sportswear and workwear based in Oslo, Norway. For more information, visit
Corp.CanadianTire.ca.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Media: Jane Shaw, (416)
480-8581, jane.shaw@cantire.com
Investors: Lisa Greatrix,
(416) 480-8725, lisa.greatrix@cantire.com
SOURCE CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED