PWHL adds Canadian Tire Corporation as founding partner

The Professional Women’s Hockey League has announced that the Canadian Tire Corporation has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as a sponsor.

As part of the deal, the group will sponsor the upcoming PWHL Draft, set to take place Sept. 18 in Toronto.

In March, Canadian Tire said that as part of its new Women’s Sport Initiative, it would spend at least 50 percent of its sponsorship money towards funding sporting ventures by 2026. Canadian Tire previously served as a sponsor as part of the PWHPA’s Dream Gap Tour.

“Working with Canadian Tire Corporation, I have seen how committed they are to gender equity in sport and have experienced that commitment first-hand through my partnership over the past few years,” Toronto’s Sarah Nurse said in a release. “Through numerous conversations with their key leaders, it has always been clear that they were committed to supporting a women’s hockey league. It is no surprise that CTC is an inaugural partner now that we have launched the PWHL. With our shared values and vision, I know that CTC will continue to put women’s hockey at the forefront.”

Among Canadian Tire’s companies include Hockey Pro Hockey Life, SportChek and Sports Experts.

In October of 2022, Canadian Tire cut ties with Hockey Canada due to the governing body’s handling of alleged sexual assault cases. Other major brands, such as Telus, Scotiabank and Tim Hortons, either paused or pulled sponsorship altogether.

The PWHL was officially unveiled on August 29, with Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and New York making up the Original Six. All teams have signed three players thus far, with the draft next week helping to fill out the final rosters ahead of a January start.

The league has yet to unveil schedules, team names, jerseys or arena plans as of yet.