Advocacy

One of NACDA’s primary roles is to effectively represent the interests of wholesale-distributors before governments. Our mission is to ensure that all levels of government understand the value and contribution that our industry makes to communities from coast to coast.

NACDA also works closely with our retail and manufacturing partners to support them in their efforts to grow and protect the convenience store channel.

NACDA deals with the issues that impact on our members’ ability to do business. We encourage you to contact us with any questions or issues that you would like to address.

Federal Issues

Regulation of Cannabis & Tobacco

The government of Canada is considering important changes to the rules governing both a legal product, tobacco, and a currently-illegal product, marijuana. But their approaches are very different and in the view of the Canadian Convenience Stores Association and the National Convenience Stores Distributors Association, not only unfair, but unlikely to produce the kinds of results the government is seeking.  Our white paper argues that it will increase the sales of illegal tobacco, while undercutting the thousands of small business people across the country who run corner stores and the distributors who serve them.

Plain Packaging

Health Minister Jane Philpott announced the introduction of plain packaging for tobacco products and Canada’s retail distributors are raising concerns over its implementation. From large chains to small independent stores, retailers rely on efficient supply chains to get products where they are needed most. When it comes to the distribution and sale of controlled tobacco products, law-abiding distributors already compete with a sophisticated illegal tobacco networks in Canada. Read more on the subject of plain packaging and its implications on Canadians.

Grey Market Retail

A significant quantity of confectionery and beverage products manufactured in other countries, not authorized for sale in Canada, is entering the marketplace. The distributors and retailers who sell these products, known as grey market goods, are putting Canadian consumers and their businesses at risk. It is important that retailers and manufacturers understand how to prevent grey market goods from being bought and sold in Canada to help reduce the health and safety hazards to consumers, the potential financial losses to businesses and reputational risk for our industry as a whole.

NACDA and CCSA have prepared a best practices document to ensure distributors and retailers recognize the risks associated with carrying grey market product. See the full document here.

Contraband Tobacco

Eliminating the availability of legal tobacco products from our warehouses to retailer’s shelves does not address the demand for these products. This demand is being met by black market illegal tobacco traffickers who offer untaxed, unregulated, non-age restricted versions of these products to all consumers, including minors. Contraband tobacco poses a serious threat to community safety in all regions of Canada, through its ties to organized crime, its link to drugs and illegal weapons trafficking, as well as its accessibility to youth.

To view details of NACDA’s position on this matter, please click here.

Energy Drinks

Health Canada has used a science and fact-based approach to assess the nature of these products and to determine how they should best be handled and have set several regulations on production and sale of these products.

To learn more about Energy Drinks and the regulations visit the Energy Drink Information website.

Impact of Flavour Bans

Distributors work very closely with retailers and in the shared desire to prevent youth smoking. As legitimate businesses who collect taxes for governments, we also have a shared interest in ensuring that legislative decisions do not fuel the contraband market. We firmly believe that any legislation that impacts the sale of legal tobacco must be complemented by deterrence and enforcement measures to address the illegal tobacco trade.

Read more on NACDA’s solution to the issue by clicking here.

E-Cigarette Sales

The sale of nicotine-loaded electronic cigarettes is not authorized in Canada, however the regulations are not being strictly enforced. Convenience store retailers are permitted to sell these products without nicotine. The lack of clear, concise regulation regarding e-cigarettes has caused parents, heath advocates and governments across the country to raise concerns about how these products should be treated.

Learn more about our recommended best practices.

Provincial Issues

NACDA also works closely with our regional retail association partners to defend the interests of our channel at the provincial level. NACDA appears before parliamentary committees and in the media to advocate on issues ranging from health and safety, labour and taxation and any issues that impact our ability to operate in a competitive business environment.

Atlantic Convenience Stores Association

To read about advocacy efforts in Atlantic Canada, click here.

Quebec Convenience Stores Association

To read about advocacy efforts in Quebec, click here.

Ontario Convenience Stores Association

To read about advocacy efforts in Ontario, click here.

Ontario Convenience Stores Association responded to the 2017 Ontario budget. Click here to read more on the issue.

Western Convenience Stores Association

To read about advocacy efforts in Western and Northern Canada, click here.