• Nearly 80% more upgrades and process improvements than Q2 2010
• Rooftop solar installations underway on first of 40 stores

TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2011 /CNW/ - Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited's (CTC, CTC.a) ongoing integration of sustainable practices into its business operations resulted in the completion of 188 sustainability initiatives¹ during the second quarter, a 79% increase from the same period in 2010.

Through these initiatives, which included in-store signage right-sizing, store retrofits and transportation enhancements, Canadian Tire is forecasted to annually avoid more than $2.3 million in costs, 1,200 tonnes of waste, and 3,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions²- equivalent to the energy use and emissions from powering more than 414 Canadian homes.

Second quarter highlights include Canadian Tire opening its most energy efficient store to-date in Kemptville, Ontario, the start of construction on the first of 40 rooftop solar installations in the Greater Toronto Area, a signage right-sizing and redesign initiative, and the rollout of the Go Eco program throughout Quebec.

"We are approaching the first anniversary of Canadian Tire's integration of its business sustainability results with its financial reporting, and we couldn't be happier with the significant improvements we have made in all areas of our business," said Tyler Elm, VP, Business Sustainability, Canadian Tire Corporation. "We had a busy quarter, and there are several exciting new initiatives underway that will help maintain our momentum through the end of the year - and beyond."

The Kemptville, Ontario store exceeds the Company's promise to design, build, and open a new prototypical store that is 75% more efficient than previous models by the end of 2011 - a goal that was met in the first half of the year. The new prototypical design, which forms the basis of Canadian Tire's new store construction between now and 2015, represents a combination of new and existing technologies. The Kemptville store consumes only 9.7 ekWh/sq ft per year (unit of energy usage for gas and hydro in kilowatt hours) versus the 17.8, consumed in previous model stores.

Rooftop solar systems are under construction for the first of sixteen stores to be completed this year, with a further 24 completed by the end of 2013. To date, the program has generated more than $875,000 in service revenue from third-party partners. When all 40 sites are complete, the total renewable energy generated will produce enough electricity to power 1,000 average-sized Ontario homes each year.

In more than 73 stores across the country, including Kemptville, in-store décor signage was right-sized and manufactured with cloth instead of vinyl, generating significant environmental and cost savings. By reducing the size and weight of this signage, and replacing the vinyl, styrene and steel materials with environmentally-preferable, light-weight and 100% recyclable materials, Canadian Tire reduced the costs associated with materials, shipping, and labour. In all, 187 new hanging rings and banners were installed and are forecasted to avoid more than $130,000 in costs, 1.9 tonnes of waste, 48 gigajoules of energy use and 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

In Quebec, the Go Eco automotive program, a Dealer-led initiative, was rolled out to the more than 98 stores across the province. The program helps customers save money, improve vehicle performance and reduce waste to landfill, enabling 100 per cent recycling and responsible disposal of automotive consumables in Quebec Service Centres. The program is expected to build on last year's fourth quarter pilot results which showed an increase in store collections of aerosol cans, oil filters, waste oil and oil containers.

Canadian Tire's work towards improving its efficiency and sustainable practices has garnered attention from the Canadian Plastics Industry Association and the Fleet Challenge Ontario, who award the Company with the 2011 Recycled Product Award and the 2011 Green Fleet Leadership Award, respectively.

____________________
¹ Initiatives vary in complexity and size from changes made to an individual retail product, a retrofit made to a fleet vehicle or the building of a new store. Project completion for these initiatives is defined by a) the commercial operation date for buildings and product transport projects, b) the approval date for operations and product projects. Projects are reported in the quarter they are completed, unless data is not available, in which case the completed project is reported in a future quarter provided it is in the same year of the project's complete date or the first quarter of the following year.
² Measured as carbon dioxide equivalents (C0₂-eq). Greenhouse gasses such as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂0) are converted to their carbon dioxide equivalent based on their relative global warming potential (GWP).

Progress made is reflected in the year-to-date results as follows³:

____________________
³ As sustainability initiatives are part of an inherently dynamic process and as projects come to fruition, revisions to estimates are periodically made and the Quarterly Progress Report is adjusted accordingly. At year-end, Emission Factors and Global Warming Potentials are reassessed to align with the company's carbon footprint and the Quarterly Progress Report is consequently adjusted.
⁴ Avoidance refers to savings in comparison to what it would have been if Canadian Tire had not made the improvements. These values express a 12 month forecasted result from the date of each project's completion. Values beyond the first 12 months are not reported.
⁵ Low carbon energy generation is measured as equivalent kilowatt hours (ekWh), where any energy sources that don't typically report in kWh, such as the energy transfer conversion from ground source heat pumps (geothermal), can be converted to give an equivalent kilowatt hour value.

In addition, Canadian Tire operates 2 low-carbon energy generation installations that include solar PV and geothermal technologies. Since the start of operation in 2008 to the end of the second quarter, these installations have generated over 224,000 ekWh⁵ and helped to avoid 51 tonnes¹ of greenhouse gas emissions in the local economy.

Canadian Tire also contributed $6.5 million to community blue box and industry product stewardship and recycling programs during the first half of 2011.

With a focus on energy and climate, packaging and waste, and products and services, Canadian Tire's business sustainability strategy features three aspirations: to profitably grow the business without increasing the net carbon footprint of the economy; eliminate unnecessary packaging while sending zero waste to landfills; and provide innovative products and services that meet customers' needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

For further details, refer to: http://corp.canadiantire.ca/EN/CSR/BusinessSustainability/Pages/OurProgressReports.aspx

ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE

Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited (TSX: CTC.a, CTC) is one of Canada's most shopped general retailers offering every day 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.