Canadian Tire earned a grade of D+, scoring 38.5 out of 146.5 possible points, ranking 23rd out of the 43 retailers evaluated this year.
Canadian Tire demonstrated progress on toxic chemicals over the past year by making its safer chemicals policy publicly available on its website and by being the fifth North American retailer to commit to phasing out paint stripping products containing the toxic chemicals methylene chloride and N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and achieving this commitment by the end of 2018. Canadian Tire also eliminated six phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, DNOP) from food contact products (which do not include food packaging); removed heavy metals from children’s, food contact and cosmetics products; eliminated volatile organic compounds from paints; and is currently completing its transition away from brominated flame retardants in all products.
Opportunities for improvement: Canadian Tire can make more progress by setting public quantifiable goals with clear timelines for reducing and eliminating chemicals of high concern (CHCs) that may be present in the products it sells, especially halogenated flame retardants, any phthalates in food contact products, materials and packaging as well as any bisphenols, including BPS from thermal paper receipts. Canadian Tire should extend its efforts to eliminate PFOA and PFOS from water repellency finishes to the entire class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) that may be present in those products. Canadian Tire should also become a signatory to the Chemical Footprint Project and pilot it with key private label suppliers. Canadian Tire can also improve in the area of transparency by requiring that fragrance ingredients are disclosed online or on the label of personal care and cleaning products and should take steps to ensure supply chain accountability.
Summary of Canadian Tire’s Grade

8.75 out of 17.5 points
Policy: Adopted a retailer safer chemicals policy
Canadian Tire’s policy does not appear to apply to operations and does not apply to product packaging. Canadian Tire does not have a publicly available manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL) for at least one major product category.

1.25 out of 5 points
Oversight: Established management responsibilities and incentives

0 out of 12.5 points
Accountability: Ensures supply chain accountability

0 out of 13 points
Disclosure: Requires suppliers to report use of chemicals in products to retailer

13.5 out of 16 points
Action: Reduced or eliminated chemicals of high concern (CHCs) within the last three years

0 out of 13.5 points
Safer Alternatives: Evaluates safer alternatives, avoids regrettable substitutes

7.5 out of 18 points
Transparency: Demonstrates a commitment to transparency and public disclosure
Canadian Tire does not appear to encourage or require suppliers to publicly disclose ingredients in products online or on product packaging and does not publicly disclose the identity of articles or formulated products that are free of CHCs going beyond regulatory compliance.

0 out of 7.5 points
Chemical Footprint: Evaluates its chemical footprint

0 out of 8.5 points
Third-party Standards: Promotes credible third party standards for safer products
Extra Credit:

2.5 out of 5 points
Joint Announcement: Public commitment demonstrated through joint announcement

5 out of 15 points
Continuous Improvement: Shows continuous improvement by steadily expanding safer chemicals policy

0 out of 5 points
Safer Products: Program to promote safer products in stores and/or on website

0 out of 5 points
Collaboration: Actively participates in collaborative process to promote safer chemicals

0 out of 5 points
Impact Investment: Investing financial resources into independent research into safer alternatives and/or green chemistry solutions