Tim Hortons ‘suspends support’ for world juniors in another blow for Hockey Canada

Tim Hortons has joined a growing list of corporations pulling financial support for Hockey Canada in the wake of the federation’s handling of an alleged sexual assault.

The restaurant chain said Wednesday it is “suspending support” for the upcoming men’s world junior hockey championship in Edmonton as it awaits details on how Hockey Canada intends to take “strong and definitive action.”

The move comes after Scotiabank, Canadian Tire and Telus paused sponsorships Tuesday until the companies are confident the right steps are being taken to improve the sport’s culture.

In an open letter to Hockey Canada and all hockey fans and players across the country, Scotiabank president and CEO Brian J. Porter wrote that he is “appalled by the recent reports” and believes Hockey Canada must be held accountable.

“Today, we have made the decision to pause our sponsorship of Hockey Canada until we are confident the right steps are being taken to improve the culture within the sport — both on and off the ice,” Porter wrote, also stating that he expects Hockey Canada “to fully cooperate with the Federal Government’s audit” and ensure Scotiabank’s sponsorship funds were “used as intended.”

Per Porter’s statement, the sponsorship pause includes cancelling plans for a Scotiabank marketing event at August’s World Junior Championship and redirecting sponsorship investments for the world juniors to other programs, “including the Hockey Canada Assist Fund, which is successfully helping to eliminate financial barriers to hockey for young people, and the Women’s World Championship.”

Scotiabank will also make a donation to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, which supports women who are the victims of gender-based violence.

“The time for change is long overdue,” wrote Porter. “We call on Hockey Canada to move with a sense of urgency in order to ensure that the game we love is held to the highest standards.”

Hockey Canada released a statement later Tuesday in response to Scotiabank’s decision, saying they are “on a journey to change the culture of our sport.”

“Hockey Canada values our relationship with Scotiabank, and we both respect and understand their decision regarding their sponsorship,” the statement reads. “As we said to the Members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage last week, Hockey Canada is on a journey to change the culture of our sport and to make it safer and more inclusive, both at the rink and in our communities. We have been on this journey for some time, but we agree that more needs to be done, and more quickly. This is a priority for our organization’s leaders, and with the work we are doing, and the changes we are planning, our intention is to ensure that Hockey Canada meets the standards that our many stakeholders have for us. Canadians will be hearing more about our actions in this regard.”

In a statement issued to Sportsnet by TELUS on Tuesday, the company said it will “continue to support upcoming women’s events and grassroots initiatives dedicated to supporting youth in hockey,” and also pledged to redirect funds that would have gone towards the world juniors to Canadian organizations that support women affected by sexual violence.

“We are engaged with Hockey Canada to understand what specific changes are being made within their organization to drive positive cultural change and create a safe, inclusive hockey experience for all,” the statement concluded.

When reached for comment, Imperial Oil — the Canadian petroleum company that supplies gasoline to Esso-brand stations — informed Sportsnet that they are “paying close attention to this issue as it develops and have communicated our expectations to Hockey Canada that concrete steps must be taken immediately to address safety issues and ensure swift culture change.”

Canadian Tire echoed the disappointment expressed by the other companies, lamenting a “lack of transparency and accountability around the assault allegations” in a statement to Sportsnet. The retailer confirmed it was “immediately withdrawing its sponsorship support” for the upcoming men’s world juniors and was re-evaluating its relationship with Hockey Canada, though it did not detail what that process entailed.

“We are calling on Hockey Canada to do better and live up to their commitment to change the systemic culture of silence in our nation’s sport, and push to make it more inclusive and safe for all,” Canadian Tire’s statement went on to say.

The developments come after the federal government froze Hockey Canada’s public funding last week in response to its handling of the alleged sexual assault and out-of-court settlement.

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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.

Files from Emily Sadler of Sportsnet were used in this report