Canadian Tire Partners with the Canadian Military in Support of Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services

$300,000 Equipment Donation to be Celebrated with Six Base Tour During Recreation Month

TORONTO, June 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Today, Canadian Tire Corporation announced a donation of $300,000 of sporting equipment to military families living on Canadian Forces Bases (CFB) as part of a partnership with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services. 

To celebrate the equipment donations, Canadian Tire is participating in six base events throughout June as part of Canadian Armed Forces Recreation Month.  The product donated includes over 100 pieces of equipment and 142 equipment kits comprised of canoes, kayaks, personal floatation devices and boat safety kits.  Base visits include: Petawawa (May 31), Halifax (June 6), Edmonton (June 13), Comox (June 19), Esquimalt (June 21) and Kingston (June 26).

"At Canadian Tire, we believe in the power of sport to inspire Canadians to spend quality, active time together and we are honoured to contribute to the military community to help members and their families," said Landon French, Executive Director, Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities and Vice-President, Community Relations, Canadian Tire Corporation. "We are proud of our ongoing relationship with the Canadian Forces and being able to help support Recreation Month, whether it is equipment donations or supporting sports activities via Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, our partnership is a natural fit."

Canadian Tire is a long-time champion of the Canadian Forces supporting initiatives including the Canadian Armed Forces Sports Awards and the Soldier On program, which helps retired and serving members with an illness or injury adopt an active lifestyle through participation in physical, recreation or sporting activities. The multi-year commitment with Canadian Forces Morale and Welfare Services follows a $150,000 sporting equipment donation made in 2013 through Sport Chek, a retail banner in the Canadian Tire Family, to help military families living on base get active. This new commitment includes equipment donations, working with the Canadian Forces to develop community programming for military families and their children via Jumpstart, and providing select discounts to personnel.

The partnership will serve as another way Canadian Tire supports Canadians getting active in the community, providing military families the resources required to live active, healthy lifestyles.

"We welcome the generous donation of sports and recreation equipment from Canadian Tire which benefit military members and their families.  Recreation, leisure and sport help military members stay physically fit and mentally healthy, while increasing overall unit morale and workplace efficiency," explains Commodore Mark Watson, Director General Morale and Welfare Services.

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 categories. 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, and FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere), which offers the best active wear brands. The nearly 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets are supported and strengthened by our Financial Services division and the tens of thousands of people employed across the Company. For more information, visit Corp.CanadianTire.ca.

SOURCE CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED

For further information: Candice Bruton, Communications Advisor, Canadian Tire Corporation, candice.bruton@cantire.com, 416-520-3184