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