TORONTO, March 18, 2020 /CNW/ - The Home Depot® Canada announced today it is temporarily adjusting store hours to better serve customers and communities in response to COVID-19. Beginning Saturday, March 21, stores will now close daily at 6 p.m. As an essential retailer to the communities it serves, The Home Depot Canada is committed to keeping stores open just as it always does during times of crisis and natural disaster. Homeowners and businesses depend on The Home Depot Canada for urgent needs such as hot water heaters, refrigerators, cleaning supplies, electrical and plumbing repairs, and harsh weather items like tarps, propane and batteries. The adjusted hours will give stores the ability to staff appropriately and provide additional time to restock shelves and perform cleaning. As many items across our store are in high demand, the Company's merchants and supply chain teams are prioritizing replenishment and restocking as quickly as possible. The Home Depot Canada is also expanding its paid time off policy to address the needs of hourly associates to help alleviate some of the challenges they may be facing as a result of COVID-19. Starting this week, all hourly full-time associates will receive an additional 80 hours of paid sick or personal time, and part-time hourly associates will receive an additional 40 hours of paid sick or personal time. These hours can be taken anytime from now until the end of the year. If associates are diagnosed with COVID-19 or advised by health or government officials to self-quarantine due to direct COVID-19 exposure, they will continue to be paid during that time. "Canadians rely on us for the products and materials they need to make urgent repairs in their homes and communities, and we have always been committed to remaining open during times of crisis," said Jeff Kinnaird, president, The Home Depot Canada. "We are incredibly grateful to our associates and partners for their commitment to serving our customers during this challenging time, and I want to thank them for the dedication they show each and every day." About The Home Depot

The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,292 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2019, The Home Depot had sales of $110.2 billion and earnings of $11.2 billion. The Company employs more than 400,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index. SOURCE The Home Depot of Canada Inc.