Seven sporting heroes recognized for dedication both on and off the field of play

TORONTO, April 26, 2016 /CNW/ - Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and Presenting Sponsor Canadian Tire Corporation are honoured to reveal the six Athletes and one sport "Builder" who will make up the Class of 2016.

Induction into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is considered the country's highest sporting honour and reinforces the incredibly successful athletic careers of the nominees. This year's Class has broken down barriers, blazed new trails, and served as proud international ambassadors for Canadian values.

Each of the seven inductees selected to join the Class of 2016 have fostered inspiration both on and off the field of play, using sport as a platform to build a better Canada for their fellow athletes and citizens.

"This year marks our 61^st induction ceremony. We are proud to be able to share the stories of the achievements of the Class of 2016 so that we can inspire all Canadians to be the best they can be in all aspects of life," said Mario Siciliano, President and CEO, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. "Thanks to the support of our partner, Canadian Tire Corporation, and Michael Medline as our Honourary Chair, we are able to recognize these outstanding individuals and host the biggest annual celebration of sport in Canada."

 The distinguished Class of 2016 inductees includes:

• Michael "Pinball" Clemons, four-time Grey Cup Champion with the Toronto Argonauts, Football
• Stephanie Dixon,19-time Paralympic medallist and world record holder, Para-swimming
• Dr. Frank Hayden, creator of the worldwide Special Olympics Movement, Builder
• Sue Holloway, four-time Olympian, and the first woman to represent Canada at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games in the same year, Kayaking and Cross Country Skiing
• Colleen Jones, two-time World Champion and youngest skip to ever win a Canadian Women's Championship, Curling
• Annie Perreault, three-time Olympian and double Olympic Gold medallist, Speed Skating
• Bryan Trottier, seven-time Stanley Cup winner, Hockey

"I can say without hesitation that this year's event is shaping up to be one of the greatest in the history of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. It is a tremendous honour to reveal the names of this year's induction Class at Canadian Tire's head office. Sport is central to who we are as a company; it's in our DNA. And we are proud to support sport in Canada at all levels, from the playground to the podium," said Michael Medline, President and CEO, Canadian Tire Corporation, Member of the Board of Governors of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame and Honourary Chair of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Celebrations.

The Class of 2016 will be officially inducted during Canada's Sports Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Celebrations, presented by Canadian Tire, on November 1, 2016 at the new venue for this year-the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.

For full biographies of the Class of 2016, please visit www.sportshall.ca

ABOUT CANADA'S SPORTS HALL OF FAME
Canada's Sports Hall of Fame is an international award-winning facility with over 40,000 square feet of inspiring experiences. Located at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park, site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, Canada's Sports Hall of Fame features 12 galleries, more than 50 hands-on interactive experiences and a collection of 100,000 artefacts. Our mission is to share the stories of the achievements of our inducted Honoured Members so that we can inspire all Canadians to be the best they can be in all aspects of life. Please visit www.sportshall.ca to learn more about our education programs, facility rentals and corporate retreats.

*Please note that the official name is Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, not the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

ABOUT CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION
Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited, (TSX:CTC.A) (TSX:CTC) or "CTC," is a family of businesses that includes a retail segment, a financial services division and CT REIT. Our retail business is led by Canadian Tire, which was founded in 1922 and provides Canadians with products for life in Canada across its Living, Playing, Fixing, Automotive and Seasonal categories. PartSource and Gas+ are key parts of the Canadian Tire network. The retail segment also includes Mark's, a leading source for casual and industrial wear, and FGL Sports (Sport Chek, Hockey Experts, Sports Experts, National Sports, Intersport, Pro Hockey Life and Atmosphere), which offers the best active wear brands. The 1,700 retail and gasoline outlets are supported and strengthened by our Financial Services division and the tens of thousands of people employed across the Company. For more information, visit Corp.CanadianTire.ca.

SOURCE CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED

Image with caption: "Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and Presenting Partner, Canadian Tire revealed the Class of 2016 inductees. The Class will be officially inducted on November 1, 2016 at the Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 2016 Induction Celebrations. (CNW Group/CANADIAN TIRE CORPORATION, LIMITED)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160426_C5876_PHOTO_EN_675298.jpg