Canadian Tire Plays for Canada

With 100 days to go before the start of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Canadian Tire Corporation is readying its roster of 85,000 employees to cheer on the Canadian Olympic Team and, as a premier national partner of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), is mobilizing the country by encouraging play and active living.

"Sports are part of our DNA so we are creating a direct link for our employees to the athletes and the Games," said Doug Nathanson, Senior Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Canadian Tire Corporation. "Since we announced our partnership with the Canadian Olympic Team, we have used our passion for sport as a way of connecting and engaging with our employees across the country. It is also a way we reinforce to our employees and to our customers that we are committed to Canadian families and the communities in which we work."

To help its corporate employees on home soil feel more connected to the Games, Canadian Tire is sending four employees from offices across the country to act as 'roving reporters' in Sochi this coming February. The employees will share pictures, videos and stories of their Olympic experiences with the Canadian Tire team back in Canada. Employees will be able to follow the Games through their colleagues' reports and daily up-to-the-minute coverage of high-profile events through all the Company's internal communication channels.

Canadian Tire has been a supporter of play for over 90 years and continues to sponsor neighbourhood teams, sporting venues, professional and amateur athletes and has recently underscored its commitment to getting families and young people active in its "We All Play for Canada" campaign.

The new sport partnership program, which is supported with a 60 second ad spot that features real Canadian kids and families, puts a spotlight on the problems associated with our young people being less active today than ever before. The Company is working with its nearly 70 sport partners and sponsored athletes like Jonathon Toews and Hayley Wickenheiser, to rally Canadians to bring back play for kids across the country.

"We know that strong kids, build strong families - which, in turn, builds strong communities and a strong nation," said Allan MacDonald, President of Canadian Tire. "Whether playing hockey, taking the kids to the park, or cheering on our Olympic hopefuls, we all play for something bigger than ourselves. I am excited for the Games to start because we truly do all play for Canada."

Sport Chek, a retail banner within FGL Sports, is also launching a new advertising campaign called 'What it Takes' (#whatittakes), to celebrate what it takes to become one of the best athletes in the world. Its ads feature Olympic hopefuls who will compete in a cross section of Canada's most popular winter sports including ice hockey (Sidney Crosby and Meaghan Mikkelson), skiing (Christopher Del Bosco and Erik Guay), skeleton (Jon Montgomery), bobsleigh (Kaillie Humphries) and snowboarding (Maëlle Ricker and Mark McMorris).

Earlier this year, Sport Chek announced that it was named the exclusive retail partner of the Canadian Olympic Team Performance Collection by adidas, which will be available in all 170 Sport Chek stores across the country on November 6, 2013.

"The team at Sport Chek are beyond excited to watch not just its sponsored athletes but all of Team Canada in action as they inspire the nation and rally Canadians around the power of sport this coming February," said Michael Medline, President of FGL Sports. "Like many Canadians, the team at Canadian Tire is inspired by our athletes and their achievements as their sporting pursuits have taken them from the playground to the podium."

For more information contact:Sarah Van Lange

Manager, Corporate Communications

(416) 322-2659, (647) 287-9582

Sarah.VanLange@cantire.com

Michelle Ghandour

Manager, Retail Communications

(416) 480-3653, (647) 388-3641

Michelle.Ghandour@cantire.com

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