Tim Hortons and Imperial Oil have joined a growing list of corporations to pull sponsorship dollars in the wake of Hockey Canada's handling of an alleged sexual assault and out-of-court settlement.
Tim Hortons said Wednesday it is "suspending support" for the upcoming men's world junior hockey championship this summer in Edmonton as the restaurant chain awaits details on how the national federation intends to take "strong and definitive action" following the "deeply concerning allegations."
"Hockey Canada has communicated that it is committed to changing the culture of hockey to make it safer and more inclusive for all, on and off the ice," Tim Hortons said in the statement. "We have expressed strongly that we believe Canadians are urgently seeking concrete details from Hockey Canada about how it intends to do so.
"We will re-evaluate our sponsorship agreement once we have all the information we need to consider our options."
Imperial Oil, which is the head sponsor of the Canadian national women's under-18 hockey club championship under its Esso brand, also said it is withdrawing support from the world junior championship while continuing to sponsor youth and women's programs.
The energy company took a more definitive step Wednesday, a day after releasing a statement saying it was "concerned by the recent allegations."
"Imperial will not be supporting the upcoming 2022 men's world junior championship with the Esso brand," the company said Wednesday. "This matter is deeply concerning, and we have communicated our expectations to Hockey Canada that concrete steps must be taken to address safety issues and ensure swift culture change."
The moves come after Scotiabank, Canadian Tire and Telus all paused Hockey Canada sponsorships Tuesday until the companies are confident the right steps are being taken to improve the sport's culture.
The federal government froze Hockey Canada's public funding last week.
Hockey Canada quietly settled a lawsuit last month after a woman, now 24, claimed she was assaulted by members of the country's 2018 gold-medal winning world junior hockey team at a gala and golf function four years ago in London, Ont.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Hockey Canada executives were grilled by legislators on Parliament Hill last week during a Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage meeting looking into the matter.
Scotiabank president and CEO Brian J. Porter said in an open letter Tuesday that marketing and events at the world juniors will be cancelled.
He said the investments would be redirected into other programs, including one that aims to help eliminate financial barriers for young people in the game, and the women's world championship.
Canadian Tire said in its statement the company is "deeply disappointed in Hockey Canada's lack of transparency and accountability around the assault allegations." In addition to withdrawing support from the world juniors, Canadian Tire said it is "re-evaluating its relationship with Hockey Canada."
Telus, meanwhile, said it's redirecting sponsorship money to Canadian organizations that support women affected by sexual violence. The telecommunications giant added it would continue to support women's events and youth programs.
Business development and partnerships have previously made up 43 per cent of Hockey Canada's coffers, according to the organization's most recent numbers, ahead of funding agencies (14 per cent), insurance premiums (13 per cent), interest revenue (10 per cent) and the taxpayer funds (six per cent).
Hockey Canada said last week it needs to "do more" to build a safer culture following a tumultuous few days that included president Scott Smith and outgoing CEO Tom Renney getting called to the floor by parliamentarians.
"Unfortunately, we did not receive many answers," Pascale St-Onge, the federal government's minister of sport, told reporters in Ottawa last Wednesday.
She said at the time Hockey Canada would only have its public money restored once officials produced an incomplete report from a third-party law firm hired to investigate the 2018 incident that allegedly involved eight players.
St-Onge added Hockey Canada must also become a signatory to the Office of the Integrity Commissioner, a new government agency with the power to independently investigate abuse complaints and levy sanctions.
The woman who made the assault allegation was seeking $3.55 million in damages from Hockey Canada, the Canadian Hockey League and the unnamed players.
Details of the settlement have not been publicized, but Smith testified to the committee Hockey Canada came up with the funds and paid the entire sum, adding no government money was used.
St-Onge has ordered an audit to make sure that's the case.
The Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage is set to meet July 26 and 27 to hear from more witnesses. It has also requested a redacted copy of the non-disclosure agreement related to the financial settlement along with a long list of Hockey Canada communications.
St-Onge has said she only learned of the situation on call with Renney days before TSN broke the story last month. Hockey Canada said it informed Sport Canada of the situation in June 2018.
The House of Commons, meanwhile, has unanimously approved a Bloc Quebecois motion to pursue an independent investigation that will look into how Hockey Canada dealt with the allegations.
The organization hired Toronto law firm Henein Hutchison LLP to conduct its investigation, but Smith and Renney told MPs that while players present at the London event were "strongly encouraged" to participate, it was not mandated.
Smith said 12 or 13 of the 19 players from the world junior team at the gala were interviewed by investigators.
Hockey Canada has said repeatedly the woman declined to speak with both police and its third-party law firm.
Smith and Renney reiterated to the committee the woman also chose not to name the players. They added Hockey Canada still does not know the identities of the eight players in question.
The independent investigation ended in September 2020, but Renney testified the report is incomplete and shouldn't be released despite the fact in contained recommendations.
Smith testified last week on Parliament Hill that Hockey Canada has reported three sexual assault complaints in recent years, including the London incident, but declined to discuss the other two in front of the committee.
The NHL, which has said it also only recently learned of the allegations, is conducting its own investigation because some of the players in question are now in the league.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2022.
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancour headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Homeowners in France have discovered a skeleton in the attic of an outbuilding while undertaking renovation work.
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
Jason Kelce issued an apology during ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' after a viral video captured a 'heated moment' between the retired Super Bowl champion and a fan over the weekend.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
Ukrainian troops have for the first time engaged with North Korean units that were recently deployed to help Russia in the war with its neighbour, Ukraine's defence minister said Tuesday.
A British Columbia senior who drove his pickup truck into a march for Indigenous residential school survivors will avoid jail time after he was sentenced Monday to nine months of house arrest.
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
One of Canada's most vital trade arteries is cut off as employers at most of British Columbia's ports lock out their workers in a dispute involving about 700 unionized foremen.
As Americans head to the polls for a presidential election Tuesday, their compatriots and Canadian neighbours north of the border will be watching the results with hope and anxiety.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancour headed for its Election Day finale on Tuesday, as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office.
Australia's foreign minister said Tuesday she raised allegations with her Indian counterpart that India has targeted Sikh activists in Canada.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. president Donald Trump have tied with three votes each in the tiny New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, kicking off Election Day in one of the first places in the country to report its presidential preference.
Americans are facing a decision about the future of their country and no matter which president they choose, Canada cannot escape the pull of political polarization from its closest neighbour.
Police arrested a 23-year-old man Tuesday on suspicion of involvement in a botched art heist at a gallery in the southern Netherlands targeting four valuable Andy Warhol screenprints.
North Korea on Tuesday fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern sea, the South Korean military said, as the country continued its weapons demonstrations hours before the U.S. presidential election.
Canada's ambassador to the United States said Monday she doesn’t feel anxious about the American election, or its results.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the Trudeau government is in a better position to manage trade negotiations with the next American president than it was the last time it signed a deal with the U.S. and Mexico.
As Americans prepare to elect their next president on Tuesday, new data from the Angus Reid Institute suggests Canadians hold differing views as to which federal party leaders would be best suited to deal with either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
Doctors say they are seeing an unusual spike in walking pneumonia cases in parts of Canada, particularly in kids, but their message for parents is not to panic, as treatment options are available.
A measles outbreak declared in New Brunswick’s Zone 3 last week, which includes Fredericton and the upper Saint John River Valley, has more than doubled since last week.
New research from the University of Oregon finds the annual practice of ‘springing forward’ into daylight time affects productivity more than previously thought.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
Elon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
Three Chinese astronauts returned to Earth on Monday after a six-month stay on the Tiangong space station, part of China's effort to be a global leader in space exploration.
A frustrated Taylor Swift fan is speaking out after being pushed from a short-term rental she booked for the upcoming Vancouver leg of the superstar’s Eras Tour.
Hundreds of Oasis fans are looking back in anger after falling victim to a 'landslide' of ticket selling scams.
After decades in romantic comedies, Hugh Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career.
Canada's merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $1.3 billion in September as imports fell more than exports, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.
Business groups say the work stoppage at B.C. ports is the latest in a run of supply chain disruptions affecting Canadian companies and the country's economy.
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) did not buy back any of its own shares in the third quarter, ending a six-year-long streak of stock buybacks, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in the tropics or subtropics, you get to enjoy them year-round.
For tourists returning from vacation, a camera roll full of photos and a suitcase bursting with souvenirs are usually the closest they can come to bringing a piece of their holiday destination home with them.
A man who took in an orphaned squirrel and made it a social media star vowed Saturday that New York state's decision to seize and euthanize the animal 'won't go unheard.'
After going without a shutout for just the second time in his career last season, Jake Allen already has two for the New Jersey Devils in just five starts this year.
Jason Kelce issued an apology during ESPN's 'Monday Night Countdown' after a viral video captured a 'heated moment' between the retired Super Bowl champion and a fan over the weekend.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is preparing a proposal to add 3-on-3 hockey to the Winter Olympics as soon as 2030 in the French Alps, following the same expansion that basketball has had over the past two Summer Games.
Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
Several Ford vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to issues with braking systems, steering and child car seat tethers.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.
Mounties are investigating after one person was killed in a head-on collision on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
No one was injured when a train derailed early Tuesday morning in Abbotsford, but authorities said a resulting road closure was expected to last several hours.
A mortgage broker who totalled his Lamborghini and left a passenger with life-altering injuries after trying to pass a Toronto streetcar at nearly three times the speed limit has been handed a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
About 85 per cent of Canadians have a smartphone and once you have one they’re hard to live without. The latest smartphones can cost as much as $2,000, so if you’re trying to save money, make sure you don’t get caught in a fake smartphone scam.
Two people have been transported to hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, after a three-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Vaughan late Monday night.
Calgary police say they've arrested two people in connection with a series of carjackings on Monday.
When the Alberta government froze auto insurance rates in 2023, 60 per cent of insurers in Alberta suffered a significant financial loss, new data shows.
As expected a moisture-laden low pressure system entered Alberta late Monday bringing first rain, then snow as the temperature fell.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government is giving the City of Ottawa $48 million in new funding to support public safety on transit and in the downtown core and another $40 million to support asylum seekers.
Ottawa firefighters were called in the early hours of the morning to a fire that caused serious damage to three single-family homes in Orléans.
The City of Ottawa says a popular pedestrian bridge over the Ottawa River will close again for winter, despite many calls from residents and councillors to keep the pathway open for winter activities.
Hydro-Québec announced the launch of the first phase of development and reinforcement work on its power transmission network – the high-voltage lines that carry large quantities of electricity from where it is generated to the substations that redistribute it to clients.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
A child around 10-years-old was severely injured after being struck by a truck in Montreal's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough.
Canada's ambassador to the United States said Monday she doesn’t feel anxious about the American election, or its results.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says the Trudeau government is in a better position to manage trade negotiations with the next American president than it was the last time it signed a deal with the U.S. and Mexico.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Nova Scotia’s top party leaders are talking traffic congestion, seniors’ health and rental disputes as the provincial election campaign continues Tuesday.
The RCMP says the suspicious deaths of two people in Cole Harbour, N.S., were the result of intimate partner violence.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
A six-vehicle crash on Tuesday morning closed a section of the Perimeter Highway to traffic on Tuesday.
HSC Children’s Hospital is seeing an increase in the number of kids with pneumonia.
Natalie Anderson remembers the last time she saw nine-month old Xavia Butler in person.
A Saskatchewan woman has come away with more than a million dollars after winning big in the hamlet of Kuroki.
A rebate on the Provincial Sales Tax (PST) on new home builds was an election promise from the Saskatchewan Party. However, the federal Conservatives have gone one step further – calling for the GST on the builds to be axed nationwide.
The only candidate with experience on city council, with the exception of the incumbent, Lori Bresciani is promising to prioritize fiscal responsibility, community engagement and safety if she is elected to serve as Regina's next mayor.
Emergency services responded to the area of Weber Street North and Schaefer Street in Waterloo around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a collision.
Two schools are closed for the day due to an outage caused by an early morning single motor vehicle collision in the Weber Street North and Albert Street area.
The legacy of a beloved actor and comedian has added some colour to downtown Brantford.
Residents of an apartment in downtown Saskatoon were left without water this weekend.
New details of a 2023 fatal stabbing — where the victim walked into Boston Pizza to get help — emerged at Saskatoon Provincial Court, during a sentencing hearing on Monday.
Saskatoon Transit wants riders to know about a fraudulent social media account selling fake fare passes.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the Temiskaming Shores area of northern Ontario following an attack on a 16-year-old female, police say.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
On U.S. election day, CTVNews.ca will feature live results on an interactive map and a live blog that will be updated throughout the evening starting at 5 p.m. ET by CTV News journalists and Washington political analyst Eric Ham.
Around 6 p.m. on Monday, police were contacted about a sewing needle found in a KitKat chocolate bar after a child tried to eat it.
There is no word yet on how the crash happened, how many vehicles were involved, or if any charges will be laid. An updated is expected some time on Tuesday.
In handing down the sentences for two London parents, Justice Thomas Heeney told the court, "The facts of this case were the most egregious that I have encountered during my 26 years on the bench."
Provincial police are investigating the death of one person following an incident involving a Canadian Pacific Kansas City train in Oro-Medonte.
Police are investigating after the home of a family of four was shot 13 times early Tuesday morning in a Cookstown neighbourhood.
A home in Coldwater was destroyed by fire Tuesday morning.
Windsor police say a 50-year-old man is facing 16 charges, including attempted murder, after a shooting in south Windsor.
A Pelissier Street parking lot is one step closer to becoming housing.
The book called “1934:The Chatham Coloured All-Stars’ Barrier-Breaking Year” has been named the winner of the 2024 Speaker’s Book Award.
Mounties are investigating after one person was killed in a head-on collision on Vancouver Island over the weekend.
Thousands of British Columbians woke up in dark homes Tuesday after a powerful storm knocked out power across the province’s South Coast the previous day.
Business groups say the work stoppage at B.C. ports is the latest in a run of supply chain disruptions affecting Canadian companies and the country's economy.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
The calendar may have just flipped to November, but Christmas is already on many people's minds.
Crowsnest Pass Mayor Blair Painter said a vote later this month is looking to hear from residents to determine if they want to see the coal industry come back to the region.
The Hurricanes weathered an early storm Saturday but eventually fell, losing 5-4 to the Rebels in a game played in Red Deer.
A 44-year-old man from Goulais River has been charged with several child pornography and related offences.
An 18-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in the Temiskaming Shores area of northern Ontario following an attack on a 16-year-old female, police say.
A horse and buggy were hit by an 'inattentive' pickup truck driver on Highway 17 last week resulting in the driver being injured and horse having to be put down, police say.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
School staff are being struck more often, students are fighting more frequently, and police are increasingly being called to school grounds, according to data compiled and released this week by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
