It's a situation where the big banks don't have any interest in participating in providing services to small companies. I run an industry association that does not touch cannabis. TD Bank, which is my historic banker, doesn't want to touch our association. We're forced to go and get our services from Alterna Savings. They charge our association, which doesn't touch cannabis, an extra $4,000 a year and $100 a month just for the privilege of having operating accounts. Those independent retailers that many of you will have in your ridings, depending on the province you're from—understand that those retailers are burdened with the lack of access to financial services and are frequently forced to pay outrageous amounts just to get basic banking services.
Another point mentioned by Alex was that they are sometimes proprietary, such as the big banks around the use of the Interac system. One of the ironies is that our legitimate, legalized, regulated sector does not have access to financial services, but the same banks and their Interac system operate and provide lots of services to the online illicit market. As well, Canada Post delivers those illicit products. There's a real stinging irony to that circumstance for many in the legalized cannabis sector.