Canadian Tire has increased its investment in women’s sports as the first founding partner of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL).

The multi-year agreement includes sponsorship of the league’s inaugural draft where 90 of the world’s best women’s hockey players will be selected on September 18 in Toronto.

“This furthers our longstanding commitment to advancing gender equity and inclusion in sport from grassroots to professional arenas,” says Greg Hicks, president and CEO of Canadian Tire Corporation. “This endeavour reflects CTC’s dedication to enhancing communities and fulfilling our brand purpose of making life in Canada better.”

Canadian Tire is one of women’s hockey’s biggest partners, having made a commitment to allocate a minimum of 50% of its sponsorship dollars towards women’s professional sports by 2026 through its Women’s Sports Initiative (WSI). This initiative also includes a dedicated media fund to amplify the visibility of women’s sports across broadcast, digital and social platforms.

“Canadian Tire Corporation is raising the bar for investment in our sport and making history as the PWHL’s first founding partner,” says Stan Kasten, a member of PWHL Board of Directors. “Their support signifies a pivotal moment in our growth as we shape the future of women’s hockey and champion equality and empowerment together through our sport.”

The PWHL was officially introduced at the end of August with the announcement of its six markets in Canada and the U.S. — Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Boston, Minneapolis-St. Paul and the NYC area. The inaugural PWHL season begins January 2024.