Canadian Tire ‘Money’ Fact Sheet 

• Inspired by Muriel Billes, the wife of Canadian Tire’s co-founder, A.J. Billes, Canadian Tire ‘Money’ was introduced as a cash bonus coupon in 1958 along with the opening of Canadian Tire’s first gas bar in Toronto.
• The coupons were developed as an innovative response to the activities of the major oil and gas companies in the 1950s, who were giving away dishes and toasters to their customers. Demonstrating the retail leadership that was characteristic of the Billes brothers, A.J. decided instead to boost his gas bar business by giving away cash bonus coupons which could be used to purchase in-store merchandise. In the process, he hit upon a first in Canadian retailing: the concept of cross-merchandising, while building one of the country’s first-ever customer loyalty reward programs.
• Canadian Tire ‘Money’ was a hit – and in 1961, it was extended to customers at Canadian Tire stores.
• More than $100 million in Canadian Tire ‘Money’ rewards are distributed every year, driving Canadian Tire customers back into the store to buy whatever they choose. The Canadian Tire 'Money' rewards program overall has a 90 per cent redemption and participation level.
• In 1995, the process began to change the name “cash bonus coupons” to Canadian Tire ‘Money’ in response to the popular term adopted by Canadian Tire customers.
• Canadian Tire ‘Money’ is printed using the same process as legal tender including the latest anti-counterfeiting technology. Canadian Tire ‘Money’ has the same paper content and spot marks – including a latent image of a maple leaf to the right side of Sandy McTire’s left ear. Because the coupons feel like real money, people typically keep Canadian Tire ‘Money’ even if they don’t use it right away.
• Canadian Tire ‘Money’ is available in denominations of 5¢, 10¢, 25¢, 50¢, as well as $1 and $2. There is no expiry date. Canadian Tire ‘Money’ can be used in any quantity, at any time, towards purchases of in-store merchandise or automotive service at the more than 473 Canadian Tire stores across the country. 
• Travelling Canadians have been known to pass off Canadian Tire ‘Money’ as Canada’s legal tender when bartering internationally – a practice rumoured to have succeeded more than once!
• There is even a Canadian Tire Coupon Collectors Club, whose members collect and trade various editions of the ‘Money’ bills. According to one of the club’s members, some of the bills are worth up to $800 in value.
• Canadians have also been known to use Canadian Tire ‘Money’ to fundraise for charitable organizations.