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

Image with caption: "The Canadian Tire Family of Companies announced a partnership with Benoît Huot, who will become a Jumpstart ambassador. The announcement was made today during a swim clinic at Centre Jean-Claude Malépart in Montréal. From left to right: Jean Parisien, Canadian Tire vice-president for Quebec, Benoit Huot and Carole Poirier, MNA for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and first vice-president of the Quebec National Assembly, accompanied by swim clinic participants Océanne Cyr and Boubakar Baldé (centre). (CNW Group/CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20130812_C5386_PHOTO_EN_29781.jpg