Canada’s outdoor retail scene is losing a familiar face as Canadian Tire Corporation shutters 17 standalone Atmosphere stores. Unveiled on March 7, 2025, the closures will see 14 locations blend into SportChek outlets across B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan through 2025, while three others close outright. It’s all part of “True North,” a four-year strategy to rethink how the retail titan does business.
Atmosphere’s already hitched a ride with SportChek in Ontario hubs like Sherway Gardens in Toronto and Oakville’s Winston Churchill Boulevard, a model now expanding west. Older standalone stores in the Eaton Centre, Vaughan, and Don Mills faded long ago, priming this latest pivot. Canadian Tire, which bagged both chains in its 2011 Forzani takeover, says it’s hustling to relocate staff from closing stores over the next four months, though job cut details remain hazy.
“True North” is the big picture here: a unified front for Canadian Tire, SportChek, and Mark’s Work Warehouse (picked up in 2002), with less overlap, a shared digital backbone, and a drive to hook more Triangle Mastercard users. The company’s betting on smarter customer insights and streamlined operations to fuel growth. A recent $1.3-billion deal to sell Helly Hansen to Kontoor Brands only amps up the transformation vibes.
RBC analyst Irene Nattel sees promise, hinting that a well-executed plan could mean better sales and tighter customer bonds. As Atmosphere’s standalone era fades, Canadian Tire’s doubling down on a future where its brands move as one—True North or bust.