Canadian Tire opens a digital lab

Toronto -- Canadian Tire has opened a digital development lab in Communitech, a start-up incubator that is home to some 100 startups and small businesses along with such “strategics” partner companies as Google Inc. and Intel Corp.



Communitech supports tech companies at all stages of their growth and development in the commercialization of innovative technologies.



Canadian Tire will have five full-time employees on site in Communitech and is working in dedicated space within the facility’s 'hub' to improve the shopping experience online and in-store for customers using 'next in class' advancements in digital technology.



"Canadian Tire has decided that digital is - and will be - a core strategic differentiator in retail," said Marco Marrone, COO for Canadian Tire, which operates more than 1,700 stores under various banners in Canada. "We have been on a digital journey for several years now — and it is clear that to succeed we need strong capabilities in digital and technology. Our Communitech partnership puts us deep inside the smartest brain trust in Canada and will deliver the 'next in class' thinking that we need to lead the retail industry and deliver a better customer experience. We have built an internal team and our app lab will explore and deliver consumer applications that support our digital vision."