Canadian Tire is no stranger to servicing Canadians, having done so for the past 90 years, and its Roadside Assistance service has been in commission since 1981. The roadside assistance service assurance is commendable and is one of the leading brands in Canada. The question is how convenient and value-for-money is the roadside assistance service by Canadian Tire. They offer a different subscription plan for every need, with prices ranging from $70 to almost $300. If you're a single adult and you have more than one car, you'll definitely benefit from an individual membership, but they also offer family plans and a single-vehicle membership that covers anyone who is driving it.
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Canadian Tire ventured into roadside assistance services in Canada and the USA a couple of years back. If you have lived in Canada for a long time, the name ‘Canadian Tire’ should not be a stranger to you since they've been offering Canadians top-quality services for more than 90 years. As such, you can expect the same level of quality from the Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance service as well. Canadian Tire has been pretty flexible with the types of plans they provide its customers. There are membership plans for individuals, vehicles, family and on-demand assistance across 365 days a year and 24 hours a day. You can count on Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance at any time, especially in your moment of need when your vehicle gives way during travel.
In this review, we'll take you by the hand to meet one of Canada's best roadside assistance services and to learn all the ins and outs so you always make the most of your money.
What Is Roadside Assistance And Why Do I Need It?
As its name clearly suggests, a roadside assistance service is a service designed to help you out when you run into problems while on the road. The most common problems these types of services help with are:
- Flat tires
- Dead battery
- Mechanical issues
- Towing
- Trip accident insurance
Some service providers throw in other perks such as trip assistance and recommendations, winching and more. All in all, it's a service intended to give you peace of mind while on the road.
What Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Plans Are Available?
Canadian Tire offers two different ways to get their roadside assistance service:
- Annual memberships
- On-demand service where you request service only when you need it.
With either membership, the service is available 24/7, 365 days a year. However, there are differences between both membership options, so let's take a closer look at each one so you can decide which would be the best choice for your lifestyle.
Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Annual Membership Plans
The Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance service has two annual tiers or plans – Silver and Gold.
With either plan, you can choose between an individual, vehicle or family membership. To summarise the difference between the three different kinds of memberships:
- Individual membership – covers the registered member regardless of which vehicle he/she drives
- Family membership – covers up to 5 members as long as they live in the same household (family members living in different locations due to studies, jobs, etc., are not eligible for this plan).
- Vehicle membership – covers the vehicle driven regardless of who drives it.
As you probably already guessed, this means that there are a total of 6 different plans to choose from with Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance. All 6 plans share a common set of core benefits, which are summarized in the following table:
| Available 24/7 | ✔ |
| Use of flatbed Car Carriers | ✔ |
| Battery Boost | ✔ |
| Flat tire change | ✔ |
| Lock-Out service | ✔ |
| Extrication & Winching | ✔ |
| Trip Planning Guides & Maps | ✔ |
| Trip Accident Assistance |
✔ Up to $300 |
Personal And Family Plans
Now that you know how these six plans are similar, let's take a look at the differences that will help you choose which one's for you. First, let's compare the Silver and Gold individual and family membership plans side by side:
|
| Silver Member Plan | Gold Member Plan |
| Target Demography | Perfect for city commuters | Suitable for those with longer commutes |
| Primary Member | $69.95 /Year | $99.95 /Year |
|
Secondary Member | $37.95/ Year (up to 10 members) | $69.95/ Year (up to 10 members) |
| Service Calls | 3 | 5 |
| Towing Limit | 10 km | 250 km |
| Fuel Delivery | Delivery Only | Delivery + up to $5 emergency fuel |
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|
|
| Silver Family Plan | Gold Family Plan |
| Target Demography | Perfect for city families with shorter commutes | Great for families that travel long distances |
| Primary Member | $169.95 /Year | $289.95 /Year |
|
Secondary Member | Cost of primary member covers up to 5 members in the household | Cost of primary member covers up to 5 members in the household |
| Service Calls | 6 | 10 |
| Towing Limit | 10 km | 250 km |
| Fuel Delivery | Delivery Only | Delivery + up to $5 emergency fuel |
|
|
The memberships mentioned above come with applicable taxes. The key thing to understand from the differences is the towing limit where Silver plans allow you up to 10 km distance in total and Gold plans allow you up to 250 km in total for the year. This means you can have unlimited towing service from Canadian Tire as long as you are still within your towing limit as per your chosen plan.
You can already see how subscribing to this service can make your life a lot easier if you ever need it. Any one of these plans is particularly useful if you or your family own more than one car. This is because this way, you'll always be covered no matter which car you take for a ride on any given day.
Vehicle Plans
If you or your family own a single vehicle, but there's more than one driver in the family, perhaps it's better to get a vehicle membership plan instead or a personal or family plan. Here is a summary for the Silver and Gold vehicle membership plans:
|
| Silver Vehicle Plan | Gold Vehicle Plan |
| Target Demography | Great for city commuters | Perfect for long-distance commuters |
| Primary Vehicle | $69.95 /Year | $99.95 /Year |
| Secondary Vehicle | $37.95/ Year (up to 10 vehicles) | $69.95/ Year (up to 10 vehicles) |
| Service Calls | 3 | 5 |
| Towing Limit | 10 km | 250 km |
| Fuel Delivery | Delivery Only | Delivery + up to $5 emergency fuel |
|
|
As you can see, you can join any one of these membership plans and you can even throw in more cars in the bag. In fact, you can get up to 10 vehicles covered with a single membership, saving almost half the price for all secondary vehicles you include in the plan.
Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance On-Demand Service
What happens if you own a vehicle but use it sporadically, like on weekend trips or road trips and vacations once or twice a year? In these cases, it may not be in your best interest to purchase an annual membership that protects you all year long.
Perhaps you're thinking, ‘What if I want to pay for the service only when I need it, instead of an annual membership?’ Well, in that case, Canadian Tire also has your back. With the On-Demand service, you can pay just for the service you need when you need it. Not to forget, the Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance service is available 24/7 regardless if you are a member or a one-time user of its service.
To give you an idea of how much it would cost you, here is a summary of the price they charge for different On-Demand services:
| Service* | Price** (per service call) |
| Towing to Canadian Tire Auto Service Centre (up to 10km) | $70 |
| Towing to Canadian Tire Auto Service Centre (up to 25km) | $100 |
| Towing to Canadian Tire Auto Service Centre (up to 50km) | $150 |
| Battery Boost | $70 |
| Flat tire change | $70 |
| Lock-Out service | $70 |
| Fuel Delivery |
$70 (Delivery only, fuel cost extra) |
| Extrication & Winching |
$70 (1 tow truck and 1 Service Provider for up to 20 minutes) |
You can view the On-Demand service detailed terms and conditions to understand the details of the services listed in the table above. Take note that the service prices listed in the table above don't include taxes.
Tips To Save On Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Membership Cost
There are a few ways to save on costs to obtain a roadside assistance membership by Canadian tire. Read on to find out how.
Tip #1: Apply For A Triangle World Elite Mastercard®
The first and best option to save on Roadside Assistance is to apply for a CT credit card, and the no-fee Triangle World Elite Mastercard®is by far the best option. If you're approved, you'll get a complimentary Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Gold Plan membership. You can choose between the Gold member (individual) plan or Gold vehicle plan once you receive and activate your card. Since this card doesn't have an annual fee, you'll get $100 worth of roadside assistance completely free! You should note that this isn't the case with the Canadian Tire Triangle Mastercard. The Canadian Tire Triangle World Mastercard does bring in complimentary roadside assistance, but it's an invite-only card, which means you can't simply apply for it.
For more information on the card, you can check out our Triangle World Elite Mastercard review, where you'll find out whether this card is for you or not.
Tip #2: Purchase During Black Friday Promotion
Many Canadian Tire roadside assistance members have purchased their memberships during Black Friday promotions. They're usually advertised on the Canadian Tire website and the most recent one was 30% off the actual price.
Extra Benefits As A Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Member
If you have decided to join Roadside Assistance as a member, you can enjoy additional benefits like discounts for shopping, car rentals, hotel bookings and more.
Member Exclusive Discounts
Here are some of the discounts you are eligible to enjoy:
| Marks | 10% off regular items |
| Avis | Save up to 25% off base car rental rates at participating locations |
| Budget | Save up to 25% off base car rental rates in Canada and the U.S.A. and 10% off base truck rental rates in Canada at participating locations |
| Choice Hotels | Up to 15% off the best available rates |
Members' Welcome Package
That is not all! Once you join a membership plan with Canadian Tire roadside assistance, you will receive a Welcome Package, which includes a complimentary Perkopolis account to enjoy the listed discounts on their website.
Some of the discounts you can enjoy are:
| Hello Fresh | Get 90% off your first two boxes |
| Wyndham Hotels & Resorts | Save up to 20% |
| Lasik MD | Save $230 on Custom Lasik |
| Birks | Enjoy up to 15% off a Birks gift card |
| La Vie En Rose | Get 20% off all regular-priced merchandise |
| Avis | Save up to 25% of base rates |
| Bosch | Save up to 30% on Bosch Home Appliances |
| Endy | Save $55 on The Endy Mattress |
For full details on discounts, you would need to log into your www.perkopolis.com account. Get started with your Canadian Tire roadside assistance application today.
Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance FAQs
Here are some quick reference frequently asked questions to help you understand the service better:
When can I start using my roadside assistance services?Â
• For plans purchased at a Canadian Tire Store, service begins 24 hours after activation. Once you purchase the plan in the store, you are required to go online and activate your plan.
When will I receive my Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Welcome Package?
When can I start using the member-exclusive discounts?
Can I pay online using a debit card, gift certificate or store credit?
Can I purchase Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance Membership in-store?
How do I update my Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance membership information?
Can I renew my Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance membership online or at the store?
Can I request a Roadside Assistance service online?
What happens if I run out of service calls from my membership?
Will I receive Canadian Tire Money for my membership or On-Demand services purchase?
Unfortunately, no, you won't receive any Canadian Tire Money for these purchases. Currently, the only accepted payment methods for online purchasing are Visa, MasterCard or Amex. Please note that Visa Debit is not accepted.
The Bottom Line
Canadian Tire is an established and reputable brand that most Canadians are familiar with and trust. They offer a wide array of high-quality services and Roadside Assistance is one of them. Having roadside assistance is a necessity if you own a vehicle and use it frequently. There's nothing worse than having your car break down in the middle of a highway and not knowing what to do. Compared to other common roadside services like CAA, this program offers similar or even better perks at a lower price.
With six different membership options to choose from, you'll find a plan that's perfect for you and your budget. Whether you want to become a member or you'd rather use it only when you need it, Canadian Tire has got you covered. However, if you have a minimum annual income of $80,000 or more, you can apply for a Canadian Tire Triangle Mastercard. In our opinion, Canadian Tire is a definite go-to roadside assistance service provider and the Triangle World Elite is, hands down, the best way to join the family.
