Going into battle with Tim Hortons no longer: DND ends plan for mobile outlets

OTTAWA – The Department of National Defence is abandoning plans for three mobile, deployable Tim Hortons outlets, denying Canadian troops that familiar taste of home on future overseas missions.

As Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan was winding down in 2011, military officials proposed making it standard practice to have trailer-sized units on hand to sling coffee and donuts to soldiers.

A Tim’s outlet at Kandahar Airfield, which operated for five years, generated $7.1 million in gross profit, much of which was plowed back into military support and services programs after expenses were paid.

The proposal to have trailers ready to go for other extended deployments was energetically endorsed by the country’s overseas commander.

The support services unit was slated to begin construction of the trailers sometime in January 2012, but it was nixed before any work was started.

A defence spokeswoman, Lt. Michele Tremblay, said the coffee houses were “no longer required.”