13 January, 2026

How Toyota Du Beau Came Together During the Great Canadian Hike

woman on a bike wearing helmet and sunglasses on a leaf-covered trail

In the city of Thetford Mines, Quebec — 225 kilometres east of Montreal, and 100 kilometres south of Quebec City — Toyota Du Beau is a car dealership with 37 employees. The sales group is tight-knit and energetic, and very involved in their community.

Earlier this fall, Toyota Canada invited its dealerships to participate in the Great Canadian Hike — a month-long challenge encouraging people to get outside and hike, bike, paddle and roll, on and of the Trans Canada Trail, to raise funds for the Trail. Toyota Canada is the exclusive automotive partner of Trans Canada Trail, and they spread the word among their teams.

“We had a meeting with Toyota in the Quebec region, and they mentioned that Toyota was a partner of Trans Canada Trail, and that it would be fun if dealerships registered as teams for the Great Canadian Hike,” says Joëlle Fortin, General Director of Sales with Toyota du Beau.

fall leaves on path where two people walk

Giving back to trails, supporting mental health and team-building

“Our organization experienced a sad event this past July, and we were looking to give back to a cause or an organization that promotes health and well-being. When we heard about the Great Canadian Hike, we saw a connection, and we wanted to contribute,” says Joëlle.

Joëlle and the team at Toyota Du Beau were inspired to form a team for the Great Canadian Hike to come together to support mental health, in addition to supporting access to nature and trails. The group set both a fundraising goal and a kilometre goal, setting out not only raise funds for Trans Canada Trail, but also to match the funds raised and give to a local mental health organization.

Employee and community engagement on and off the Trail

The team at Toyota Du Beau organized three walks with different employees from the dealership, and issued an open invitation to co-workers, clients and community members. They also encouraged the team to get outside and get active – walking, running, in-line skating, cycling – solo or with their loved ones. Joëlle created Strava accounts for employees who didn’t have them and wanted to track their kilometres that way.

Although the Trans Canada Trail doesn’t run right through Thetford Mines, four team members explored nearby sections of the Trail, in addition to using local walking and cycling trails in town. Joëlle also made it a mission to explore different Trans Canada Trail sections not far, including the Parc linéaire des Bois-Francs, and the Ville de Lévis Trail and Parcours des Anses. She cites Quebec’s excellent cycling network, La Route Verte, as a great resource for her during the Great Canadian Hike and in general.

Increasing activity throughout the month

For some Toyota Du Beau team members, participating in the Great Canadian Hike gave them the opportunity to maintain active routines and seek out beautiful spots. For others, the challenge inspired them to increase their physical activity and spend more time outside. Joëlle says that two team members specifically really embraced the Great Canadian Hike challenge and used the opportunity to add physical activity to their daily lives.

“Overall, it had a great impact – better than I anticipated,” Joëlle says.

woman biking pov

Photo credit: Joelle Fortin

A generous donation to Trans Canada Trail – and a prize-winning result

Toyota Du Beau’s Great Canadian Hike team numbered 8 people and brought in donations from over 40 people in the community. They raised $2,000 for Trans Canada Trail – and an equal amount for the local mental health organization. Joëlle says that the team was happy to be able to give back to the Trail, and also to support mental health in their community.

As a result of their enthusiasm and dedication, the Toyota Du Beau team ended up winning the grand prize for fundraising, taking home prizes from Columbia Sportswear, Garmin and Manulife.

“We were really happy,” Joëlle says. “It was definitely worth it to have the experience of the Great Canadian Hike, but we got a bit of a bonus when we won the prize!”

fall foliage