In Parry Sound, Ont., Canadian Tire associate dealer Don Cloutier stays in close contact with the local hospital, EMS, fire department and Ontario Provincial Police. Cloutier and his team have donated products such as 20-litre pails of sanitizer to these groups and flowers for front line hospital workers.
In Atlantic Canada, Kent Building Supplies is among the dealers providing free delivery to customers. And then when Nova Scotia was shaken by a tragic mass shooting last month, Kent, Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and the team at J.D. Irving donated $250,000 to the Canadian Red Cross “Stronger Together Nova Scotia Fund,” set up by the province on behalf of families and communities affected.
A coalition of garden organizations in Kingston, Ont., led by Loving Spoonful, an organization that supports local and community gardens, has launched “Garden for Good.” The campaign encourages people to take control of their food supply with their own vegetables and herbs. It’s modelled after the Victory Garden campaigns of the two world wars. Thanks to a donation by the local RONA Home & Garden store, the program is able to provide seeds free of charge.
Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto has launched an e-commerce site which reached its first 100 orders in its first week, in the wake of the temporary closure of its Habitat ReStore locations. ReStore sells donated new and used household items to fund Habitat for Humanity GTA’s administrative costs, freeing up the organization’s cash donations for homebuilding and services to partner families. “We’re so pleased to have quickly adapted to continue serving our customers,” said Rob Lee, VP of ReStores GTA.
An organization to support medical workers created by Queen’s University medical students in Kingston, Ont., received a donation of 2,000 masks from Gananoque Home Hardware Building Centre.
In High River, Alta., another Canadian Tire associate dealer, Ryan Jago, and his wife Kurstie, helped construct a drive-through COVID-19 testing station for the Calgary Rural Primary Care Network. The Jagos donated a refuge tent for shelter, along with pails, tables, chairs, hand sanitizer, disinfectant and spray bottles. To help healthcare workers stay warm and dry, they supplied portable propane heaters, hand and foot warmers, insulated jackets and rain ponchos. And every morning and evening Ryan and Kurstie personally set up and tear down the testing station.
Ross Power, president of PowerHouse Building Solutions, has created a fund to support his retail customers. PowerHouse is providing $2,500 toward the reimbursement of grocery delivery and service fees to all of the employees and immediate family members of the building centres that PowerHouse supplies to. Power also provided another $2,500 to the Building Supply Industry Association of British Columbia, which will roll out a similar program of its own.
London Drugs is offering shelf space in its stores to small businesses in Western Canada that have closed due to public health regulations. Select outlets of the chain will transform their central aisles into a “Local Central” zone, boosting products from local businesses.
