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    Employee charitable donations in 2008 represent a generous increase over
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Thousands of Sears Canada employees helped to improve the quality of life in their communities by contributing $596,000 through payroll deductions to 23 registered charities across Canada in 2008.

"Sears associates continue to demonstrate a generous spirit when it comes to charitable fund raising," said Dene Rogers, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sears Canada Inc. "We are especially proud of our associate contributions in 2008 which increased 23% over the prior year. I want to express my gratitude to our associates and to the Sears Employee Charitable Fund Committee, made up of volunteer associates, who helped organize events and activities to maximize donations over the course of the year."

The Sears Employee Charitable Fund (SECF), a registered charity established in 1972, helps raise funds 365-days a year for a variety of causes that are close to Sears associates' hearts. Thousands of associates in stores, distribution facilities, call centres, headquarters and other administrative buildings participate in the Company's payroll deduction program. Sears Canada supports the SECF's administration costs in order to ensure that 100 per cent of the donations go directly to the charities.

"From coast to coast, Sears Canada associates enthusiastically supported the Sears Employee Charitable Fund last year," said Pat Pagniello, Chair of the Sears Employee Charitable Fund Committee. "Through payroll deductions, Sears employees have once again given generously to causes that make a difference in the communities where they live and work, and this is made even more meaningful considering the downturn in the economy late in the year and its direct impact to the family pocketbook."

Some of the charities that benefitted from funds raised through the SECF in 2008 include the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, and the Salvation Army. Monies are directed to fund research and/or support the local initiatives of the given charity.

Sears Canada, an Imagine Caring Company, works with more than 300 local charitable organizations across Canada and has several national level partnerships. Through Sears In Your Community, the Company's community investment program, charity initiatives stretching across Canada contribute millions of dollars to Canadian charities annually on behalf of the Company, its customers and associates. Sears' two major charitable mandates are to support after-school programs that promote the healthy development of Canadian youth and children's cancer charities. In particular, Sears has been a strong supporter of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada for over 40 years. In Quebec, Sears proudly supports Opération Enfant Soleil and its work with children's hospitals. In 2008, Sears partnered with Coast to Coast Against Cancer Foundation to help in the fight against childhood cancer. Other partners include the Canadian 4-H Council, the Sears I Can Swim program, the Sears Ontario Drama Festival and, beginning in 2010, the Sears British Columbia Drama Festival, the Design Exchange National High School Design Competition, Scouts Canada with its ScoutsAbout and Scoutrees programs, and the Girl Guides of Canada.

Sears Canada is a multi-channel retailer with a network of 198 corporate stores, 193 dealer stores, 40 home improvement showrooms, over 1,800 catalogue merchandise pick-up locations, 108 Sears Travel offices and a nationwide home maintenance, repair, and installation network. The Company also publishes Canada's most extensive general merchandise catalogue and offers shopping online at www.sears.ca.

SOURCE: Sears Canada Inc.

Contact for Media: Maria Ganogiannis, Sears Canada Inc., (416) 941-4427,
mganogi@sears.ca