Retailers Applaud Government for the Enforcement of Bill C-10 to Combat Illegal Tobacco

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 14, 2015) - The Canadian Convenience Stores Association (CCSA) applauds the federal government for its commitment to fighting illegal tobacco trafficking, following the implementation of Bill C-10 being announced earlier today.

The trafficking of illegal 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.

"The announcement that Bill C-10 has now been implemented represents a significant step forward in the ongoing fight against illegal tobacco trafficking in Canada," says Alex Scholten, President of the CCSA.

The CCSA has been actively working with parliamentarians and the RCMP to communicate the need for tougher penalties and additional enforcement to deter illegal tobacco trafficking. The Association is hopeful that the enforcement of this new law will create an effective deterrence to traffickers and make them think twice before selling this illegal product.

Today's announcement marks a victory for Canada's convenience store owners. "Our retailers applaud any effort taken to combat the sale of illegal tobacco in Canada," says Scholten. "Convenience store retailers represent the front line in upholding the laws governing the sale of controlled, legal tobacco in Canada."

The CCSA will continue to advocate for additional measures to fight illegal tobacco trafficking, as well as comprehensive fine recovery to deter this criminal activity. "We have seen too many cases of fines going uncollected, and retailers believe active fine recovery would not only deter offenders, but also assist in recouping lost funds which could be put towards valuable government services," stressed Scholten.

"We applaud the government for implementing Bill C-10 and we will continue our dialogue with all levels of government as we look to eliminate illegal tobacco trafficking from Canadian communities."

About CCSA

The CCSA is a national not-for-profit trade association that represents the interests of over 25,000 convenience store retailers operating in Canada. Our mission is to foster the success of the convenience store industry in Canada by representing the best interests of our members, and the communities they serve.

We accomplish our mission through government relations and advocacy, promoting the professionalization of the industry and creating industry recognition and awareness.