2025 Period 7 - EN

A Life Saved

Dear T&T Team,

With 8,000 team members across North America, every moment—big or small, joyful or difficult—resonates throughout our T&T family. At a recent ESC huddle, we heard a story from our Aurora, ON store which touched me deeply.

May Lai, our Cashier Department Head, had been working her shift and feeling fine when suddenly, as she recalls, her hands and feet felt cold, and her head felt dizzy. “I notified my coworkers about my discomfort, but immediately fainted in their arms.” Our staff quickly alerted Dickens Chu, the Store Manager and First Aid Attendant.

Dickens recounted the incident, “When I arrived at the scene, May’s face was all pale, and her breathing was very slow. I knew I needed help, so I decided to call 911. We laid May down on the floor under the direction of the 911 operator. I felt calm and thought that she would be okay, but then we checked her airway and realized she had suddenly stopped breathing and had no heartbeat.” The 911 operator instructed Dickens to start CPR immediately. “After a few cycles, May still had no movement. I recalled my training and knew the compressions needed to be about 120 beats per minute, so I sped up. A few cycles later, May suddenly twitched, and I felt a huge sense of relief. The operator told me to continue with CPR until help arrived.” Thanks to Dickens’ quick thinking and training, May was able to make a full recovery.

May’s husband, who is a Grocery Assistant Department Head at our Promenade store, was by her side when she woke up. He recalls her first question after waking up, “Did you leave the store in good hands?” Even in that moment, May thought of T&T first. “I feel like I picked up an extra life that day. I am so grateful for my colleagues – what makes the T&T family special is the way we always step up to help one another. Without that unwavering support, the consequences of that day could have been unimaginable. When I returned to work, my colleagues constantly checked in with me to make sure I was okay, which I am so grateful for.

I feel that T&T is not only a job, but has become a part of my life. I am also grateful for T&T’s investment in emergency preparedness. Without my team and our First Aid training, April 23 may have been my last day in this world.”

A heartfelt moment at an ESC Thursday Huddle: May receives flowers from Dickens

Seeing Dickens present May with a bouquet of flowers at the ESC huddle brought everyone to tears. Please always take signs of discomfort seriously and notify those around you. Health emergencies happen, and we need to do everything we can to take care of ourselves and be prepared. I am thankful for Dickens and each one of our First Aid Attendants. Your quick action saves lives.

Tina Lee

CEO

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Growth through passion: Janice Chen's professional transformation  

(Kingsway store) Store Admin Dept. Christa Ng

Janice joined the Kingsway store as the Local Communication Supervisor in December 2024. While she didn't initially view the role as a major step in her career path, within just a few months time, Janice earned praise from both her team and customers due to her exceptional performance and positive attitude, and she quickly caught the attention of the Department Head.

Janice has quickly become an integral part of the T&T team, thriving in a culture that values teamwork, positivity and proactive engagement. She approaches her work with meticulous attention to detail and brings efficiency and creativity to customer service and social media management. She actively looks for ways to boost the store's online presence and engagement, and her efforts have delivered notable results.

Besides her daily duties, Janice also actively participates in company events. She joined the cheer team for the "Voice of T&T" event to support her store's contestants, energizing the crowd and inspiring a strong sense of team spirit. 

Due to her excellent performance and meaningful contributions, Janice was named "Employee of the Month", a well-earned achievement. She demonstrated her commitment to our core values of "Customer is #1" and "Be the best we can be" through her actions. Her story is a reminder that with passion and commitment, we can all shine brightly on the T&T stage. 

Spreading warmth and joy at checkout

(Central Parkway store) Store Admin Dept. Sherry Pan

Moumita Samadder joined the CP store Cashier Department in March 2024, starting her very first job since arriving in Canada. Despite being new to both the workforce and the country, she has impressed everyone with her ability to learn and adapt. She mastered her responsibilities in no time and has maintained a flawless record, handling every transaction with care. Her warm smile and friendly attitude create a welcoming atmosphere that keeps many regular customers coming back to chat like old friends.

Besides excelling in her role, Moumita is also a true team player. She always offers to help when other departments are short-staffed, never shying away from learning new skills, participating in on-site sampling events, promoting products, and teaching customers how to use the app. She gives her all with every task she is assigned. Her passion and dedication have left a lasting impression on everyone around her.

Moumita also actively participates in various holiday events, not only helping with event planning and on-site execution, but also goes above and beyond by engaging customers, promoting the event, and encouraging them to follow our social media channels. Thanks to her efforts, we've seen a boost in customer participation and team morale. Her dedication has contributed greatly to the success of each event. 

Moumita has become an invaluable member of the CP store. Her warm smile and professionalism have helped create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for both customers and colleagues alike. 

Be punctual, be trustworthy 

HR Dept.

Clocking in and starting work as scheduled is a basic expectation, but unfortunately, we continue to see many cases where colleagues face disciplinary action for tardiness and time management issues. Some leave early or work overtime without their Department Head's approval. Others clock back in from break only to immediately return to the staff lounge to scroll on their phones and chat. There are also colleagues who take breaks that greatly exceed the allotted time, often disappearing for an extended period.

The company implements a policy of paying strictly based on hours worked according to actual time records. So the actions noted above not only violate the basic expectation of punctuality, it also impacts team operations and weakens trust, and can ultimately ruin an individual's professional reputation.

Some colleagues may believe it's not a big deal to stay a little longer or to leave a little earlier since no one seems to notice anyway, but this is how bad habits are formed over time. From another point of view, if your colleague is always clocking out early, wouldn't you find it unfair? If any special circumstances arise, please be sure to discuss this with your Department Head first. We hope everyone will clock-in on time, be punctual, and be trustworthy. A successful and efficient team depends on the discipline and cooperation of every member.