ServiceMaster Canada is giving back to local communities, and franchisees are at the forefront of the effort
By Georgie Binks
If you’re a ServiceMaster Canada franchisee you’ve likely witnessed people’s worst days more than once. Daniel Loosemore, chief of sales and operations for ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Clean, for ServiceMaster of Canada says, “We have unfortunately seen firsthand the growing impact and severity of disasters and weather-related events across Canada. A few that really stand out are the Fort McMurray wildfire, Hurricane Fiona in Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, and more recently the Jasper wildfire in northern Alberta.”
Loosemore explains that in each of these events, the franchise mobilized its network to help support affected communities, homeowners, businesses, and recovery efforts. “What is remarkable during these situations is seeing franchisees from across the country come together to support one another and respond where help is needed most.”
In Canadian communities
ServiceMaster Restore and ServiceMaster Clean operate under the ServiceMaster Canada corporate umbrella supporting homeowners, businesses, and communities through disaster restoration and commercial cleaning services across the country. The network responds to water, fire, smoke, mould, storm, and other property damage events, while also helping businesses maintain clean, healthy environments every day.
The franchise has been serving Canadians for more than 70 years. Many franchise owners live and work in the communities they serve, so when disaster strikes, they’re often helping neighbours, local businesses, schools, hospitals, and organizations they know.
Loosemore explains, “Our teams are often working in very challenging conditions, helping stabilize properties, support emergency response efforts and assist families and businesses as they begin the recovery process. While every disaster is different, what remains consistent is the resilience of the communities affected and the commitment of our network to step up and help.”
“Not only are they using their technical expertise to [help] friends and neighbours navigate some of the most stressful moments of their lives, they need to be able to offer a dose of compassion, communication, and trust,” says Loosemore. “It’s more than just physical assistance. Our franchisees and technicians often become a calming presence during a very stressful situation. Empathy, communication, and trust matter just as much as technical expertise.”
Giving back, system-wide
With that mind, charitable giving is also a huge priority for the franchise. Supporting organizations such as the Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) is an example of how the franchise’s values have come to life. ServiceMaster Restore has supported WICC for years through local chapter involvement across the country. Last year, it became a National Sponsor.
Loosemore explains, “Cancer touches all of us in some way, whether through family, friends, or people we work alongside every day. Supporting WICC and the work they do just made sense for our organization and our values.”
Maureen Catania, director of national sales for ServiceMaster Restore and brand ambassador for all three brands, says, “There are so many great stories across our network and what stands out most is how personal many of the initiatives are to the franchise owners and their communities.”
She says, “A few examples include a multi-unit franchise group in Midland, Orillia, Barrie, and Collingwood that pledged $250,000 over five years to support local hospitals in their communities. In Fredericton, New Brunswick, one of our dual-brand franchisees has supported a variety of youth sports programs and contributed to renovations for the local Boys and Girls Club.”
ServiceMaster Clean of Moncton supports its community through sponsorship involvement with a local racetrack racing car initiative, helping bring visibility and support to local events and community engagement.
The franchise’s Edmonton location launched an annual charity golf tournament that has raised more than $90,000 over the past four years for several charity organizations.
And recently, another multi-unit franchise group across Niagara, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Guelph organized their first fundraising event, “Paddle for a Purpose,” to raise critical funds and awareness for individuals and families affected by violence and crisis. The event raised $15,000 for Victim Services of Niagara.
Catania says, “Many of our franchises also participate in local Earth Day initiatives and community clean-up challenges, supporting environmental awareness and helping improve the neighbourhoods where they live and work.”
Loosemore explains that “charitable giving has always been closely connected to the values and culture behind ServiceMaster of Canada and the broader ServiceMaster brands. From the beginning, the company was built on the idea of serving others, doing the right thing and creating a positive impact beyond simply running a successful business. Those principles go all the way back to our founder, Marion E. Wade, whose leadership philosophy emphasized people, purpose, and service.”
He says, “We are in a business where we help people recover from difficult and unexpected events, so there is naturally a strong sense of compassion and community involvement. Giving back is not viewed as something separate from the business. In many ways, it is part of who we are. There is a genuine belief that businesses should play a positive role in the communities that support them.”
Charitable giving reflects the kind of culture the franchise wants to build as a brand, explains Loosemore. “It reinforces empathy, leadership, teamwork, and a service mindset. Success is not only measured by business growth, but also by the impact we have on the people and communities around us.”
The franchise has developed a five-module Sustainability Training Program. It covers the fundamentals of sustainability and ESG (environmental, social, and governance factors), practical environmental and social initiatives, and simple steps franchises can take to begin or strengthen their own sustainability journey. Topics include energy reduction, recycling and waste diversion, fleet considerations such as hybrid and electric vehicles, and ways to incorporate sustainability into daily operations and marketing activities.
To help guide those efforts, Loosemore established a Sustainability Advisory Council made up of franchise network members sharing a passion for making a difference within their businesses and communities.
Recently, these efforts were recognized nationally when ServiceMaster Restore received the Sustainability of the Year Award at the Elite Franchise Canada awards celebration. ServiceMaster Clean was also shortlisted as a finalist.
Recognizing the impact
Catania says, “At ServiceMaster, we really do not have to encourage our franchisees to give back because community involvement is already deeply embedded in many of their businesses. Our franchise owners live and work in the communities they serve, so supporting local initiatives often happens very naturally. While we do provide support through programs such as local co-op funding, many of our franchisees are already actively involved in charities, youth sports, fundraising events, food drives, hospital foundations, community cleanups, and local relief efforts. Some also donate emergency services, equipment or volunteer time during community crises or disasters.”
ServiceMaster has created a new way to reward those efforts through a Community Impact Award, to be presented at the franchise’s Annual General Meeting. The goal is not simply to recognize sponsorships, but to highlight meaningful community impact, volunteerism, leadership, and the many ways franchisees are making a difference in the communities they serve.
The award looks at things like the actual impact on the community, authenticity and purpose behind the initiative, team involvement, long-term commitment, creativity, and how well the effort reflects the brand’s values and purpose of restoring peace of mind.
Catania says, “I think what makes these initiatives especially meaningful is they are often very personal to the franchisees themselves. In many cases, they are supporting causes that have touched their families, employees, customers, or local communities directly. That authenticity is what makes the culture of giving within our network so strong.”
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