“Community is at the heart of everything I do, and it is why I am proud to be part of a company that truly values giving back. It’s also why I believe so deeply in our local store initiative supporting the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. Because when we support one another, we can truly make a difference in the community.
Life has thrown me all sorts of twists and turns, each one highlighting just how essential it is to have strong, local healthcare— with doctors, nurses, and hospitals that show up for us in our most difficult moments. At the age of 16, I was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, the same bone cancer Terry Fox had. I spent a year in hospital while I underwent chemotherapy. And yet, through it all, I focused on how lucky I was. Terry Fox passed away from this disease, but thanks to the research and awareness his legacy inspired, more people like me are surviving. That’s the power of philanthropy. That’s the power of community.
Years later, I faced another devastating chapter when my first-born son, Parker, received a life-limiting diagnosis. My wife and I searched tirelessly for answers, for treatments, for hope. We wanted the best for him, and he received exceptional care. But he passed away when he was just two and a half years old. That experience left us heartbroken, but also deeply aware of how vital our healthcare system is. When everything is on the line, you realize: there is nothing more valuable than our health, and we must do all we can to protect and support it.
In 2016, my journey with Canadian Tire brought me to Victoria, where I was introduced to a remarkable local initiative: Fix-A-Heart, in partnership with the Victoria Hospitals Foundation.
Each December, our local Canadian Tire stores—including my own at Hillside, along with locations in View Royal, Royal Oak, North Saanich, Langford, and the Gordon Head automotive centre—proudly rally behind the Victoria Hospitals Foundation through the Fix-A-Heart campaign. It’s the only Canadian Tire fundraising initiative of its kind in the country. Fix-A-Heart is a distinctive and meaningful way for us to give back to the South Island communities that support us—building trust, strengthening connections, and contributing to the long-term wellbeing of Islanders.
Our cashiers and store managers are instrumental to the success of this at-the-till campaign, and it’s incredibly meaningful to see members of our community proudly add their names to a growing wall of hearts with each donation.
Corporate giving is about more than philanthropy, it’s about leadership and shared responsibility. By supporting local healthcare—in our case, the Cardiac Centre of Excellence at RJH—we are investing with heart and intention in the people who power our communities: our employees, customers, neighbours, caregivers, and the thousands of patients they serve every day. It’s a commitment that delivers lasting impact for all, and we are proud and grateful for the opportunity to be part of it.
What makes Fix-A-Heart so meaningful is how tangible the impact is. Our store management teams and frontline cashiers have toured Royal Jubilee Hospital and seen firsthand the equipment we have helped fund. It’s real. It saves lives. It connects us to the people we serve every day. We strategically choose to align ourselves with the Foundation because of the measurable impact it has on our greater community.
In business, we often talk about return on investment: allocating money where it can make the most impact. The same applies to healthcare. When you fund tools like surgical robotics or advanced cardiac equipment, you are enabling higher productivity and better outcomes. That’s not just good for healthcare, it’s good for all of us.
Giving back through initiatives like Fix-A-Heart is more than a gesture, it’s a legacy. It’s about choosing to stand for something greater than yourself and creating lasting impact in the lives of others. I am proud to support the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. Together, we can build a stronger, healthier community—one heartbeat at a time.”
