Jobs, Joys, Excuses to get Ahead of the Extra 24 Hours: Canadian Tire

TORONTO, May 18 /CNW/ - As Canadians count down to what 46 per cent say they consider to be the official kick off of summer - the Victoria Day long weekend - people from coast to coast are making plans for that extra 24 hours of free time.

A recent survey by Canadian Tire, revealed that while 61 per cent believe that long weekends are best used for play, many plan to use their May long weekend to cross items off their to-do lists. Thirty-eight per cent revealed they want to use their extra day to clean and organize, while 36 per cent expect to do some gardening, and 22 per cent are going to complete small fixing jobs around the house.

When it comes to getting the long weekend started, Canadians also plan to get a head start: only thirty-six per cent work right up until quitting time. Twenty-seven per cent ask to leave work early with a handful of respondents actually admitting to coming up with phony excuses for getting that early start.

The excuses vary from province to province:

• 10 per cent of British Columbians feign illness to leave work;
• 9 per cent of Atlantic Canadians state they've got a headache or are unwell;
• 8 per cent of Ontarians falsely claim they have a doctor appointment;
• 5 per cent of Quebecois pretend that their sick kids or pets need them; and
• 16 per cent of Albertans admit to sneaking out early without telling anyone.

Nearly a third (29%) of Canadians report feeling relieved when they cross a job off their to-do list, and 24 per cent are happy when the task is done. For eighteen per cent, finishing one job means they are ready to start a new one. Regardless of what job Canadians plan to take on, the long weekend is a perfect opportunity to achieve those goals.

"It's clear that many Canadians want to get around to the jobs on their lists, but they feel they could use some extra time to do it," said Duncan Reith, senior vice president, merchandising, Canadian Tire. "With an extra 24 hours at your fingertips, and the right products from Canadian Tire to help you get things done efficiently and effectively, you can tackle that to-do list, feel great about your accomplishments and still have time to enjoy the long weekend with family and friends."

Here are some common items found on to-do lists that can be accomplished quickly and easily with an extra 24 hours this long weekend:

• Rotate your closet - put away your fall and winter wear and bring out the summer gear. Canadian Tire has great solutions for storage and closet organization
• Start your planting - this is the perfect weekend to get your yard in shape and pick up your planting supplies: Grass seed, fertilizers, flowers, and other gardening must-haves can be found here
• Clean the driveway - raise your curb appeal by taking the time to get the driveway ready for summer. For stain removal, try one of these pressure washers, fix cracks and imperfections with these driveway repair products, and check out easy tips for sealing an asphalt driveway
• Fix hinges of squeaky doors, clean the gutters and switch to energy efficient bulbs - it's the small things that make a big difference around the house

Canadian Tire has at least 1 store within 15 minutes of 90% of Canadians. For the nearest Canadian Tire store, visit www.canadiantire.ca or use Canadian Tire's mobile app.

ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX:CTC.a) (TSX:CTC) is one of Canada's most-shopped general retailers, offering everyday products and services to Canadians through more than 1,200 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, which offers such products and services as credit cards, in-store financing, product warranties, and insurance. Nearly 57,000 people are employed across the Canadian Tire enterprise, which was founded in 1922 and remains one of Canada's most recognized and trusted brands.

ABOUT THE SURVEY
From May 11th, to May 12th, 2011, an online survey was conducted among a randomly selected, representative sample of 1,012 Canadian adults who are Angus Reid Forum panel members. Individuals were sampled according to Census data to be representative of the Canadian national adult population. The full dataset has been statistically weighted according to the most current gender, age, region, education (and in Quebec, language) Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of Canada. The margin of error is ±3.1%, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.