CTC turns its focus to helping more Canadians discover, follow, and support women’s sport

TORONTO, Oct. 14, 2026 /CNW/ — Canadian Tire Corporation (“CTC” or the “Company”) (TSX: CTC.A) (TSX: CTC) today announced it has achieved its landmark commitment to direct a minimum of 50 per cent of its sports sponsorship investment to women’s professional sport, the only major Canadian company to publicly declare an equal investment across women’s and men’s professional sport. The milestone fulfills a commitment first announced through CTC’s Women’s Sport Initiative in 2023.

The Company is now focused on tackling the next challenge facing women’s sport in Canada: visibility. Through its marketing platforms, sports and media partnerships, and national reach, CTC will help more Canadians discover the athletes, teams, and leagues shaping the future of sport. Canadian Tire this week launched a new ad featuring exceptional female athletes – the first step in a national campaign, a rallying cry it calls We’ll Make a Fan Out of You.

“Canadian Tire has long believed in the power of sport to bring Canadians together and create connections that transcend the game itself. Our 50/50 commitment is an important milestone and an expression of that belief,” said Greg Hicks, President and CEO, Canadian Tire Corporation. “Increasingly, fans aren’t distinguishing between men’s sport and women’s sport. They simply want to watch great sport. As women’s sport becomes more visible and accessible, more Canadians will get to celebrate the exceptional athletes, competition, and moments it is creating.”

Despite the rapid growth of women’s professional sport in Canada, building broader exposure and sustained reach remains a significant challenge: 75% of Canadians say they are fans of women’s sport, however 62% of fans say they do not know where to find the sport they want to watch*.

“The first chapter of our Women’s Sport Initiative was rooted in belief and investment. The next chapter is about being a catalyst for fandom,” said Eva Salem, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Canadian Tire Corporation. “We know Canadians are ready. The opportunity now is to help more people discover the incredible athletes, rivalries, competition, and moments that make sport meaningful. When visibility grows, fandom grows, creating stronger leagues and a clearer pathway for girls and women in Canada. Ultimately, the entire women’s sport ecosystem will be stronger.”

Putting its fan-focus into action, Canadian Tire will become presenting partner of the PWHL on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, helping bring elite women’s hockey to one of the most iconic broadcasts in Canadian sport and to fans across the country.

Building the next generation of fans
As part of this next chapter, Canadian Tire is launching We’ll Make a Fan Out of You, a rallying cry and a national campaign designed to introduce more Canadians to women’s professional sport through media partnerships, broadcast and social content, and fan experiences. The campaign reflects Canadian Tire’s goal to make women’s sports impossible to ignore. Because when women’s sport isn’t visible, it loses more than just audiences, it limits what the next generation of girls can see, imagine, and believe is possible. 

A legacy of support
The Women’s Sport Initiative builds on a legacy of leadership and advocacy for women and girls in sport. For decades, Canadian Tire Corporation has played a meaningful role in sport across Canada, supporting athletes, teams, and community programs that help build confidence, foster belonging, and inspire future generations.

In 2015, Martha Billes, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities (Jumpstart) and Board Director, Canadian Tire Corporation, brought together leaders from across the sport sector to address the disproportionately high rate at which girls were leaving sport. That work helped inspire Jumpstart’s Girls in Sport programming and laid the foundation for the Women’s Sport Initiative. Today, Jumpstart’s Play to Lead program continues to help girls and young women overcome barriers to participation while building confidence, leadership skills and meaningful connections through sport.

CTC has a unique ability to connect Canadians to sport at every level, from grassroots participation to professional competition. The Women’s Sport Initiative strengthened that role by accelerating investment across women’s professional sport and helping create more equitable opportunities for female athletes and leagues.

Canadian Tire and SportChek are founding partners of the Professional Women’s Hockey League and the Northern Super League and an official partner of the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA team. CTC’s broader support includes sales of specialized female-specific equipment and products, longstanding athlete relationships, community programming, research, media partnerships and fan experiences across multiple sports.

About Canadian Tire Corporation
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX: CTC.A) (TSX: CTC) (or “CTC”), is a group of companies 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. Party City, 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 sports retailers SportChek, Sports Experts, Pro Hockey Life, Hockey Experts, and Atmosphere, which offer the best-in-class brands in active wear and sports gear. The Company’s over 1,600 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 CTC and its local dealers, franchisees and petroleum retailers. For more information, visit Corp.CanadianTire.ca. 

For more information:
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited: mediainquiries@cantire.com

SOURCE Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited