Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Tim Hortons have joined forces to enhance their customer loyalty programs. Through this partnership, customers who connect their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts can earn two to five percent in Canadian Tire money in addition to Tims points on selected Tims purchases. The goal is to attract Tim Hortons customers to Canadian Tire and vice versa.
Currently, 53 percent of Triangle Rewards customers are enrolled in both loyalty programs. Canadian Tire boasts 12 million Triangle Rewards members across 1,600 locations, while Tim Hortons has eight million loyalty program users and 4,000 restaurants in Canada. Darryl Jenkins, Canadian Tire’s executive vice-president and chief development officer, emphasized that the collaboration aims to expand both loyalty programs.
The amount of Canadian Tire money earned depends on the use of a Triangle credit card for payment and the type of purchase made. Canadian Tire money can be redeemed for discounts at various retailer banners, including SportChek, Mark’s, and Party City, while Tims points can be used for food and beverage purchases at Tim Hortons.
The partnership emerged naturally as executives from both companies interact frequently and share common sponsorships. According to Hope Bagozzi, Tims’ chief marketing officer, the decision to collaborate was driven by a desire to enhance the value proposition for customers. However, some industry experts, like Liza Amlani from the Retail Strategy Group, view this move as an attempt by the two brands to capture more market share in a saturated loyalty market.
The partnership was initially announced a year ago, with the official launch and operational details revealed recently after a year of technical preparations. Jenkins noted the coincidental timing of the launch, occurring amidst new tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canada and impending retaliatory measures by Canada in September.