Toronto's Enercare Centre.
As part of a new naming rights agreement, Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre is now the Enercare Centre. Enercare, one of Canada’s largest home and commercial services companies, provides water heaters, furnaces, air conditioners and other HVAC rental products, protection plans and related services to approximately 1.1 million customers.
The company name is also now on the front door of the sprawling venue that is the largest indoor exhibition center in Canada with one million square feet of exhibition space and part of the mammoth 192-acre site Exhibition Place.
“Enercare Inc. is pleased to become the naming rights partner for Enercare Centre,” said Jeff Lanthier, manager – external relations for Enercare. “We worked with Exhibition Place and their partners to come to an agreement that benefits both Exhibition Place and Enercare.”
The agreement calls for Enercare to hold naming rights effective through May 31, 2026 and was a $7.5 million (CDN)-deal. Enercare will receive complimentary tickets/parking passes, use of a ballroom for large events and the ability to have branded exhibits in the Galleria area of the facility.
Part of Direct Energy was sold to Enercare in 2014, which made the transition relatively seamless, according to Arlene Campbell, general manager, sales and event management at Exhibition Place.
“It started as a result of Enercare purchasing Direct Energy’s Home Services Business, so our new naming sponsor continued on with a similar business line but a new owner,” Campbell said. “There was an alignment of values with respect to environmental conservation and community focus. Each partner respected the value the relationship brought to the other. A valuation was conducted which assessed the value of the tangible and intangible benefits of the opportunity, and this justified the pricing.”
The venue was recently awarded LEED Gold Certification, making it one of the first convention centers in Canada to receive the distinction by the Canadian Green Building Counsel.
“Enercare is committed to providing intelligent and energy efficient products, services and programs that respect the environment,” Lanthier said. “We are proud to partner with Exhibition Place in reaching our collective environmental goals.”
Marketing efforts to bring awareness of the name change are underway, and an official ribbon-cutting is planned for mid-September.
“We will have new signage and websites, tradeshow booths and press releases that will all be dedicated to helping share the message of our new partner,” Campbell said. “There will be exposure on collateral materials produced by event planners and exposure in editorial coverage of events and programs.”
Enercare is also doing its part by launching a mass media campaign including television, radio and digital that will raise awareness of the Enercare brand, one that will be seen by the 5.3- million visitors who attend the 350 events each year at Exhibition Place.
“We appreciate the show and convention producers communicating the Enercare Centre name through their individual marketing efforts as well as the City of Toronto, which will be updating their signage,” Lanthier said.
As with many successful naming rights partnerships, this is one where the new partner is one entrenched in the community and brings immediate credibility to the transaction.
“Until recently, Enercare has operated as a B2B company,” Campbell said. “With the acquisition of Direct Energy Home Services, Enercare is now consumer-focused for the first time. Their intention is to offer opportunities for event planners at the Enercare Centre to communicate with these households with information, special offers and promotions relating to events at the centre.
“Enercare has a very favorable track record as an environmentally conscious company, and they intend to collaborate with Exhibition Place in achieving environmental goals and educating the public about ways to be more environmentally conscious.”
Lanthier noted that Enercare is active in the community and gives back by running a food drive at Thanksgiving, matching funds during relief fund drives, donating toys to a children’s charity and participating in the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Big Bike Ride.
The company also supports various charitable causes including Habitat for Humanity, McMaster Children’s Hospital Foundation, SickKids Foundation, and the Canadian Mental Health Association. At the crux of Enercare’s business is providing intelligent and energy efficient products, services and programs that respect the environment.
“We help people save energy and money,” Lanthier said. “By introducing submetering in the multiresidential sector, the average electricity use is reduced by 34 percent for nonelectricity heated buildings.”
Now, the company has added a new way to enhance its business by becoming part of Exhibition Place’s family and more specifically a venue used by the Canadian National Exhibition and Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and various trade shows. Most recently this year, the venue hosted the sports of figure skating, handball, racquetball, roller skating, squash and volleyball as part of the Pan American Games.
“The opportunity is unique and offers some highly compelling benefits that will enhance Enercare’s business,” Lanthier said. “Enercare is excited to work with the team at Exhibition Place as we move to the next stage of activating the sponsorship relationship.”
Interviewed for this story: Arlene Campbell, (416) 263-3030; Jeff Lanthier, (905) 943-6260