Registration - In-house Organization

Subject Matters

• Aboriginal Affairs
• Agriculture
• Constitutional Issues
• Consumer Issues
• Economic Development
• Employment and Training
• Environment
• Financial Institutions
• Health
• Immigration
• Industry
• Infrastructure
• Internal Trade
• International Trade
• Justice and Law Enforcement
• Labour
• Municipalities
• National Security/Security
• Pensions
• Regional Development
• Research and Development
• Science and Technology
• Small Business
• Taxation and Finance
• Tourism

Subject Matter Details

Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit, Policies or Program, Regulation

• Age-Verification programs - The CCSA operates an age verification system that it has created for its members called We Expect ID, free-of-charge. The system was developed to educate and train retail employees on how to properly check for ID when selling age restricted products. The CCSA is seeking government support to improve and make this program, or a variation of it mandatory for all retailers across Canada.

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Policies or Program, Regulation

• Contraband Tobacco - The CCSA continues to advocate for action to address the proliferation of illegal contraband tobacco in communities across Canada, which affects the health and safety of retailers and the communities they serve. Most importantly, the black market makes it easier for under-age individuals to access a restricted product, which convenience retailers age-test before selling to consumers.
• Credit Card Fees - The CCSA continues to advocate for caps on credit card fees in order to bring fairness and transparency to the payments industry in Canada. Canada has some of the highest credit card fees in the world. While other countries including Australia and the EU have capped their rates, Canadian small businesses still pay exceptionally high fees. Credit card fees can range anywhere from 1.5% to 4% per transaction. Small retailers do not have the negotiating power of large, multi- national corporations, which are able to cut deals with the credit card companies to reduce their credit card bills.
• Plain Packaging Requirements - The CCSA is advocating for changes to Bill S-5, which will make it impossible to tell legal from illegal products. A standard package size, colour and design can be easily replicated by counterfeiters in Canada, or around the globe. Existing tobacco tax stamps are already being counterfeited in Canada, meaning this alone cannot be used to determine which tobacco products are real or fake. Retailers often use package overwrap to differentiate products from one another, but also to determine which products are legal or illegal. Not having any type of visual identifier will make this determination more time consuming, and ultimately more difficult for retailers, customers and law- enforcement. We are asking the government to address these concerns by: providing resources to fight the already $3 billion illegal tobacco market; ensure some type of visual mark / overwrap to help differentiate between products; and allow retailers the time to transition (12-18 months).

Policies or Program, Regulation

• Grey Market Products - A significant quantity of confectionery, beverage, and ice cream products manufactured in other countries, not authorized for sale in Canada, are entering the marketplace. These are known as grey- market goods, which can put retailers, distributors, and consumers at risk.cGrey-market products are often not labelled with allergy alerts that Canadian versions of these products bear. Similarly branded products made in other countries may look like products made for the Canadian market, but may not comply with national production and health & safety standards. In order to ensure public safety, Canadian manufacturers can quickly recall their products and notify Canadian consumers of any issues. Unfortunately, product recalls made in other countries may not reach Canadian consumers or retailers who sell those products on the grey-market. Once again, these retailers put their customers at risk, and may be held liable should these products cause harm. The CCSA is asking the government to work with retailers and distributors to educate on the dangers of purchasing or consuming grey-market confectionery, beverage, and ice cream novelty products, while educating law enforcement officials on how to spot these products. Enforcement officials should prioritize preventing the flow of these goods into Canada.
• Tax Compliance - The CCSA is advocating for measures to make it easier for convenience retailers to do their job as revenue collectors for governments at the point of sale. Already having to keep up with the latest changes to excise and other requirements in retail, convenience retailers need timely information and support from tax authorities to make it easier to do their job. The CCSA is currently a member of the CRA Minister's Underground Economy Advisory Committee.

Communication Techniques

• Written communication
• Oral communication
• Grass-roots communication
• Electronic (email, video conferencing)

Government Institutions

• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
• Bank of Canada
• Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
• Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT)
• Competition Bureau Canada (COBU)
• Competition Tribunal (CT)
• Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
• Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
• Finance Canada (FIN)
• Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
• Health Canada (HC)
• House of Commons
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
• Justice Canada (JC)
• Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada (OIC)
• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC)
• Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
• Privy Council Office (PCO)
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
• Public Safety Canada (PS)
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)
• Senate of Canada
• Service Canada (ServCan)

Address:
Suite 205
2140 Winston Park Drive
Oakville, ON  L6H 5V5
Canada

Telephone number: 905-845-9339
Fax number: 905-845-9340