Canadian Tire Corp. Ltd. and Tim Hortons have announced a collaboration to enhance their customer loyalty programs. Customers can now connect their Triangle and Tims Rewards accounts to earn between two and five per cent in Canadian Tire money in addition to Tims points on select Tims purchases. The goal of this partnership is to attract customers from both brands to each other.
Currently, 53 per cent of Triangle Rewards customers are registered in both loyalty programs. Canadian Tire has approximately 12 million Triangle Rewards members and operates 1,600 locations, while Tim Hortons has eight million loyalty program users and 4,000 restaurants across Canada.
By combining efforts, both Triangle Rewards and Tim Hortons reward members are expected to increase, according to Darryl Jenkins, Canadian Tire’s executive vice-president and chief development officer. The amount of Canadian Tire money shoppers earn will vary based on their use of a Triangle credit card for payment and the type of purchase made.
Canadian Tire money can be used for discounts at Canadian Tire stores and its associated banners like SportChek, Mark’s, and Party City. On the other hand, Tims points are redeemable for food and beverages at Tim Hortons locations.
The collaboration between the two companies evolved naturally, as executives from both Canadian Tire and Tim Hortons often interact through shared board memberships and sponsorships of similar events. The partnership was seen as an opportunity to enhance the value proposition for their loyalty programs collectively.
While some view the collaboration positively, others like Liza Amlani from the Retail Strategy Group express concerns about an oversaturated loyalty market. Amlani believes that for this partnership to succeed, it must offer simplicity, transparency, and genuine rewards to benefit customers, not just the brands.
Canadian Tire initially announced the partnership a year ago and officially launched it on Wednesday after ensuring the technical aspects were in place. The timing coincides with recent trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada, adding an unexpected layer to the partnership’s rollout.