B.C. Premier David Eby's New Public Safety Plan Needs to Include Getting Tough on Contraband Tobacco and Organized Crime

VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - The Convenience Retailers Alliance 4 Safe Communities (RA4SC) commends the Government of British Columbia for announcing The Safer Communities Action Plan (SCAP) that lays out formative steps at the provincial level to make communities safer through enforcement and intervention services. While the plan is a start, RA4SC members encourage the government to go further and address the fact that the serious threat of contraband tobacco is noticeably missing from their plan.

"Contraband tobacco invites criminal activity into our communities, puts contraband tobacco into the hands of children and youth, and hurts convenience store operators who follow the rules but are forced to compete with the black market. The government needs to include this issue in their new Safe Communities Initiative."

The "Speak up for Our Stores" campaign, led by the Convenience Retailers Alliance 4 Safe Communities, continued today at Pinantan General Store, a convenience store located in Pinantan Lake, BC. The store owner Cory George has been in business for 25 years. However, like many other convenience store owners, he is worried about the harmful impacts of contraband tobacco on his community but also his business.

The Speak Up for Our Stores Campaign is also asking B.C.'s provincial government to address contraband tobacco in B.C.s upcoming 2023 provincial budget, which is set to be released by the provincial government in February of next year.

• Loss of sales: Every year, lawful and licensed convenient store owners lose out on millions in revenue due to the prevalence of illegal tobacco sales.
• Loss of tax revenue: Illicit trade robs British Columbians of millions of dollars in provincial tax revenue that support B.C. social programs.
• Effects on small business: Convenience store retailers in B.C. are suffering due to the inability to compete with organized crime groups.
• Stronger enforcement and policies needed: Better policies are required to stop contraband tobacco from further devastating convenience retailers and B.C. communities.
• B.C.'s inaction: Other provinces have acted to address the issue of contraband tobacco. It is time the B.C. government act to protect consumers, stores owners, and the safety of our communities.

The Convenience Retailers Alliance 4 Safe Communities is an advocacy group calling for action against contraband tobacco in British Columbia.

To learn more, visit: retailers4safecommunities.ca or email [email protected] 

SOURCE Convenience Retailers Alliance