Editing Canadian Tire (section)

==History==
On October 24, 1922, [[John William Billes]] and [[Alfred Jackson Billes]] invested their combined savings of $1,800 in the Hamilton Tire and Garage Ltd. (established in 1909 as the Hamilton Garage and Rubber Company) in [[Toronto]].<ref>{{cite web| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20170312232332/http://corp.canadiantire.ca/EN/AboutUs/Pages/newhistory.aspx |archive-date=March 12, 2017 |url=http://corp.canadiantire.ca/EN/AboutUs/Pages/newhistory.aspx|title=History |access-date=September 23, 2017 |publisher=Canadian Tire}}</ref> Hamilton Tire and Garage specialized in buying tires at a discount from manufacturers in the winter then reselling the tires during the busy summer season. The brothers opened a retail store at Yonge and Gould Streets in Toronto, Ontario.<ref>{{cite book
|last=McBride |first=Hugh |year=1997
|title=Our Store 75 Years of Canadians and Canadian Tire
|location=Toronto |publisher=Madison Press Books |page=[https://archive.org/details/ourstore75yearso0000mcbr/page/19 19] |isbn=1-895892-10-4 |url=https://archive.org/details/ourstore75yearso0000mcbr/page/19 }}</ref>

A product focus on tires was emphasized in 1927 with the incorporation of the name '''Canadian Tire Corporation Limited''' because, as A.J. Billes said, "...it sounded big".<ref name="Canadian Tire">{{cite web|url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-tire-corporation-limited|title=Canadian Tire|access-date=August 16, 2019|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116024134/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-tire-corporation-limited|url-status=live}}</ref> During 1928, the first Canadian Tire catalogues were distributed, consisting of price lists along with road maps.

In 1934, the first official Associate Store was opened in [[Hamilton, Ontario]] by Walker Anderson on King Street.<ref name=MEMPROJ>{{cite press release |title=The Hamilton Memory Project |publisher=The Hamilton Spectator- Souvenir Edition |page=MP38 |date=June 10, 2006 }}</ref> In 1944, to fund its growth, Canadian Tire Corporation became a public company and sold 100,000 shares. By 1945, there were 110 Canadian Tire stores. In 1946, an employee stock purchasing plan was implemented to encourage employee loyalty while discouraging [[unionization]].<ref name="Canadian Tire"/>

The first gas bar opened in 1958 at the corner of Yonge and Church Streets in Toronto. [[Canadian Tire money]] that gave gas bar customers an in-store discount began in 1958. By June 1961, there were 31 locations. The small financial services company Midland Shoppers Credit Limited was purchased in 1968 and renamed [[Canadian Tire Financial Services|Canadian Tire Acceptance, Limited]].
[[File:Yonge and Church Streets, looking north 1990.jpg|thumb|A Canadian Tire store with a gas bar in Toronto, 1990]]
Canadian Tire entered the clothing market by acquiring Mark's Work Wearhouse in 2001.<ref name="CBC">{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-tire-buys-mark-s-work-wearhouse-for-116-million-1.267898|title=Canadian Tire buys Mark's Work Wearhouse for $116&nbsp;million|date=December 19, 2001|work=CBC News|access-date=June 26, 2011|archive-date=November 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109190140/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-tire-buys-mark-s-work-wearhouse-for-116-million-1.267898|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2003, CTC established the [[Canadian Tire Bank]], under [[Bank Act (Canada)|Canada's Bank Act]], from its then-named [[Canadian Tire Financial Services|Canadian Tire Financial Services, Limited]], subsidiary along with its Mastercard portfolio,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctfs.com/content/ctfs/en/about-us.html|title=About Us|access-date=August 18, 2019|work=ctfs.com|archive-date=August 18, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818185842/https://www.ctfs.com/content/ctfs/en/about-us.html|url-status=live}}</ref> which was later renamed as [[Canadian Tire Financial Services|Canadian Tire Services, Limited]], effective January 1, 2015.<ref name="2015 Annual Information Form from Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited">{{cite web|url=https://s22.q4cdn.com/405442328/files/doc_financials/en/2015/annual/CTC-2015-Annual-Information-Form-(Final).pdf|title=2015 Annual Information Form from Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited|work=Canadian Tire Corporation|date=February 17, 2016|access-date=August 24, 2019|agency=Canadian Tire Corporation|archive-date=August 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825000210/https://s22.q4cdn.com/405442328/files/doc_financials/en/2015/annual/CTC-2015-Annual-Information-Form-(Final).pdf|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="2014 Annual Information Form from Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited">{{cite web|url=https://s22.q4cdn.com/405442328/files/doc_financials/en/2014/annual/2014-Annual-Information-Form.PDF|title=2014 Annual Information Form from Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited|work=Canadian Tire Corporation|date=February 26, 2015|access-date=August 24, 2019|agency=Canadian Tire Corporation|archive-date=August 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825000739/https://s22.q4cdn.com/405442328/files/doc_financials/en/2014/annual/2014-Annual-Information-Form.PDF|url-status=live}}</ref> CTC sold 20% of its Canadian Tire Bank to [[Scotiabank]] in 2014; it later repurchased this stake in 2023.<ref name="CBC News">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/scotiabank-canadian-tire-strike-500m-financial-services-deal-1.2636126|title=Scotiabank, Canadian Tire strike $500M financial services deal|work=[[CBC News]]|date=May 8, 2014|access-date=October 13, 2015|agency=[[The Canadian Press]]|archive-date=September 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924154443/http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/scotiabank-canadian-tire-strike-500m-financial-services-deal-1.2636126|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://ccentral.ca/canadian-tire-grows-triangle-rewards-repurchase-financial-services-business-stake-scotiabank | title=Canadian Tire grows Triangle Rewards with repurchase of Financial Services business stake from Scotiabank }}</ref>

In April 2018, Triangle Rewards was launched as a replacement to the digital My Canadian Tire Money program and Options Mastercard.<ref>{{Cite news
|newspaper=[[Financial Post]]
|url=http://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/canadian-tire-ups-the-stakes-in-its-loyalty-program-but-do-customers-have-loyalty-fatigue
|title=Canadian Tire ups the stakes in its loyalty program, but do customers have loyalty fatigue?
|last=Shaw
|first=Hollie
|date=April 9, 2018
|access-date=15 April 2018
|archive-date=January 12, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112221300/https://business.financialpost.com/news/retail-marketing/canadian-tire-ups-the-stakes-in-its-loyalty-program-but-do-customers-have-loyalty-fatigue
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
|url=https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/news-story/8381769-canadian-tire-expands-loyalty-program
|title=Canadian Tire expands loyalty program
|date=April 9, 2018
|work=[[The Canadian Press]]
|access-date=April 15, 2018
|via=[[Cambridge Times]]
|archive-date=November 9, 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109190045/https://www.cambridgetimes.ca/business/canadian-tire-expands-loyalty-program/article_d2e5abb1-5eac-565e-bcde-fcbde974fd91.html?
|url-status=live
}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news
  |url=https://www.franchising.com/news/20181003_canadian_tire_expands_its_triangle_rewardstrade_to.html
  |title=Canadian Tire Expands Its Triangle Rewards to Include Husky Locations
  |date=October 3, 2018
  |work=Franchising.com
  |access-date=October 13, 2018
  |archive-date=October 14, 2018
  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014091433/https://www.franchising.com/news/20181003_canadian_tire_expands_its_triangle_rewardstrade_to.html
  |url-status=live
  }}</ref> Traditional paper [[Canadian Tire money]] continues to be offered at some Canadian Tire stores for customers without a rewards card, though at a reduced rate.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.macleans.ca/economy/money-economy/what-canadian-tires-loyalty-changes-mean-to-you/|title=What Canadian Tire's loyalty changes mean to you|last=Cazzin|first=Julie|date=April 9, 2018|work=[[Maclean's]]|access-date=April 15, 2018|archive-date=April 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180415002703/http://www.macleans.ca/economy/money-economy/what-canadian-tires-loyalty-changes-mean-to-you/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 2018, the company extended further into the clothing market by acquiring [[Helly Hansen]].<ref name="The Globe and Mail">{{cite news |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-tire-to-buy-sportswear-brand-helly-hansen-in-985-million/ |title=Canadian Tire to buy sportswear brand Helly Hansen in $985-million deal |work=[[The Globe and Mail]] |agency=[[The Canadian Press]] |date=May 10, 2018 |access-date=May 10, 2018 |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109190139/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-canadian-tire-eyes-global-expansion-with-helly-hansen-deal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As of December 2021, the company operates 667 Canadian Tire stores, 397 SportChek stores, and 381 Mark's stores.<ref name="auto"/> The current President and CEO is Greg Hicks.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://corp.canadiantire.ca/English/about-us/executive-management/default.aspx | title=Our Leadership Team | access-date=August 18, 2019 | archive-date=August 18, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818185854/https://corp.canadiantire.ca/English/about-us/executive-management/default.aspx | url-status=live }}</ref>

===U.S. expansion attempts===
Canadian Tire tried twice to expand into the United States. In 1982, it purchased the [[Wichita Falls, Texas]]-based White Stores, Inc. automotive retail chain with 81 stores in Texas from its then-owner Household Merchandising Inc., a subsidiary of [[Household Finance]], for US$40.2&nbsp;million.<ref name="wsj-1981nov18">{{cite news|date=November 18, 1981|title=Household Finance To Sell Store Assets To Canadian Tire Unit|page=40|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/134589449|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805101525/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/doc/134589449.html|archive-date=August 5, 2017|id={{ProQuest|134589449}} |quote=Canadian Tire Corp. said it agreed to acquire most merchandising assets of White Stores Inc., a Texas-based home and auto supplies concern.}}</ref><ref name="wsj-1982feb25">{{cite news|date=February 25, 1982|title=Canadian Tire Completes Purchase of Some Assets|page=3|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/134755546|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805101844/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/djreprints/doc/134755546.html|archive-date=August 5, 2017|id={{ProQuest|134755546}} |quote=Canadian Tire Corp. said it completed the previously announced purchase of most merchandising assets of White Stores Inc. of Wichita Falls, Texas, from Household Merchandising Inc. for $40.2&nbsp;million (U.S.)}}</ref><ref>{{cite episode |url=http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/canadian-tires-mistaken-leap-into-the-us |title=Canadian Tire's mistaken leap into the U.S. |date=December 8, 1985 |series=[[Venture (TV series)|Venture]] |network=[[CBC Television|CBC]] |access-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-date=June 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611144024/http://www.cbc.ca/archives/entry/canadian-tires-mistaken-leap-into-the-us |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1986, after losing nearly US$100&nbsp;million they closed some stores and sold the remaining 40 stores, three warehouses and other White assets to [[Kansas City, Missouri]]-based [[Western Auto Supply]].<ref name="upi-1986feb28">{{cite news |url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/02/28/Canadian-Tire-sells-US-subsidiary/6286509950800/ |title=Canadian Tire sells U.S. subsidiary |work=[[United Press International]] |date=February 28, 1986 |access-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805101911/http://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/02/28/Canadian-Tire-sells-US-subsidiary/6286509950800/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The second time, during the early 1990s, Canadian Tire tried to open a specialized auto parts chain called Auto Source that attempted to have 25,000 different parts or more on the shelf in each store, more than its competitors. The first Auto Source was opened in [[Indianapolis]] in 1991.<ref name=ibj-1991apr15>{{cite news |newspaper=[[Indianapolis Business Journal]]
|url=http://business.highbeam.com/5280/article-1G1-10908013/new-kind-auto-store-canadian-retailer-open-first-us
|title=A new kind of auto store: Canadian retailer will open its first U.S. location here this summer. (Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd.'s US Division, Car Car USA Inc.)
|date=April 15, 1991 
|url-access= |access-date=5 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805141641/https://business.highbeam.com/5280/article-1G1-10908013/new-kind-auto-store-canadian-retailer-open-first-us |archive-date=5 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Unlike the previous attempt, the Auto Source concept was built from scratch.<ref name="ddn-1992jan12">{{cite news |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DDNB&p_theme=ddnb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F5051CB3419D687&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |title=Customers Park in Or Out – Parts, Service in Supermart |newspaper=[[Dayton Daily News]] |date=January 12, 1992 |page=1F |first=Jim |last=Bohman |url-access=subscription |access-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-date=August 5, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805103220/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=DDNB&p_theme=ddnb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F5051CB3419D687&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |url-status=live }}</ref> During the next three years, Canadian Tire had opened two Auto Source stores each in Indianapolis, [[Cincinnati]], [[Dayton, Ohio|Dayton]], [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] and [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]] for a total of ten stores before abruptly closing the money-losing chain in 1995.<ref name=tb-1995jan09>{{cite news |url=http://www.tirebusiness.com/article/19950109/ISSUE/301099990/0/SEARCH |title=Canadian Tire Closes Auto Source |website=Tire Business|date=January 9, 1995 |first=Kathy |last=McCarron}}</ref><ref name="cp-1994dec07">{{cite news|last=Peale|first=Cliff|date=December 7, 1994|title=Auto Source chain shuts down – 91 jobs are lost here at 2 stores|page=6D|newspaper=[[Cincinnati Post]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CNPB&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB031A7AB214882&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805103059/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CNPB&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB031A7AB214882&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|archive-date=August 5, 2017}}</ref><ref name="cd-1994dec03">{{cite news|last=Gebolys|first=Debbie|date=December 3, 1994|title=Auto Source Stores Crash in Columbus, Other Cities|page=01F|newspaper=[[Columbus Dispatch]]|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CLDB&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10E08261449FEDF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM|url-status=dead|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805103016/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=CLDB&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10E08261449%27%27%27Bold|archive-date=August 5, 2017|access-date=August 5, 2017}}</ref> Some of the stores were sold to [[Pep Boys]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PEP+BOYS+TO+ACQUIRE+THREE+AUTO+SOURCE+STORES-a016602487 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224031219/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/PEP+BOYS+TO+ACQUIRE+THREE+AUTO+SOURCE+STORES-a016602487 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 24, 2014 |title=Pep Boys To Acquire Three Auto Source Stores |agency=[[PR Newswire]] |date=March 5, 1995 |via=[[The Free Library]] |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->}}</ref>

Although Auto Source lost nearly CA$60&nbsp;million during its four years of existence, a scaled-down version was used in Canada under the [[PartSource]] brand.