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Agriculture committee The only thing I want to add is that I want to impress upon everyone that because this doesn't fall under one single government's jurisdiction, what we're looking at when we talk about regulation is the possibility of having a fragmented regulatory checkerboard system in Canada i
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee One thing I say to my members who, to be honest, have asked if this code will really make a difference in keeping us on that playing field.... I don't like to use the term “level playing field”, to be honest with you, because in the industry, that horse has galloped out of the ba
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee It will, very much so. It will just compound the challenges we're already facing. I just want to emphasize that in addition to the cost—the CPMA has told us the cost would increase by 30%—I think the real paramount concern should be that these products won't be getting to these
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee It should be a clear message to everyone about how much we need a code. What it also tells us, and what it will tell other stakeholders, is that I know there will be some people who are presently supporting the code who will not support being included in the code while their reta
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee Is that question for me?
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee I'm sorry.
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee It absolutely is. It's one of the issues. I will add that we've addressed it in the code, but I'll just explain how that works. Michael Graydon from FHCP can speak to this too. Retailers and their suppliers—that includes all retailers, not just the chains but also the independe
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee Even though 59% of the grocery stores in Ontario are independents, the two biggest wholesalers in Ontario are Sobeys and Loblaw. Most independents are buying most of their products from those two companies if they're not getting them at the terminal. That's unfortunate, but that'
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee That's right. That's correct.
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee Well, we have to remember that this is Canada and the transportation challenges we face in this big country, particularly at certain times of the year, are significant, but throughout the year for independent grocers in semi-rural, rural and remote communities—and we also serve a
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee It affects the independent grocers, but what is really important is how it affects the customers of those independent grocers. I thank you for that question, because it's a really important one for this country. As I said in my opening remarks, we have about 6,900 independent g
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee Thank you, Mr. Chair. Good afternoon. Thank you for the invitation to offer our perspective on efforts to stabilize food prices. There are approximately 6,900 independent grocers in Canada. Many of those independents are also located in communities where they are very often t
December 4th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee I'll speak for the independents. Profits are not increasing for the independent grocer—certainly not for Main Street. I take your points. I want to say, with all respect, that, in my experience—over many years in this industry—the preoccupation or priority of ag committees and
February 6th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee Okay—
February 6th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands
Agriculture committee I assume that you mean passing the buck to consumers, or...?
February 6th, 2023Committee meeting
Gary Sands