ADVOCACY
Advocating for Independent Grocers Across Canada
From regulatory reform and industry code support to affordability, labour, and retail fairness, we work to ensure our members are heard.
What Advocacy Means
A Stronger Voice for Independent Grocers
Independent grocers face growing pressure from rising costs, changing regulations, labour shortages, and evolving supplier relationships. CFIG works to ensure their concerns are heard at both the federal and provincial levels and that advocacy leads to practical outcomes members can actually use.
What we do for members
How CFIG supports members
CFIG advocacy is focused on protecting the business interests of independent grocers and helping members navigate industry change with confidence.
Policy advocacy
We engage governments, ministers, regulators, and decision-makers on issues that directly affect independent grocers, including alcohol policy, grocery regulation, payment fees, labour, and affordability.
Member guidance and support
We help members understand policy and regulatory changes, provide guidance on Grocery Code questions, help surface systemic concerns, and support issue resolution where possible.
Industry representation
We work to amplify the voice of independents through media engagement and stronger relationships with industry partners, helping ensure the concerns of independent grocers are not overlooked.
Featured
Recent Advocacy Wins
CFIG’s advocacy has helped achieve real progress for independent grocers in several key areas.
Advocacy Wins
Ontario alcohol modernization
CFIG led a year-long advocacy effort on Ontario alcohol modernization, engaging media, MPPs, ministers, the Premier’s Office, and the Competition Bureau. Through this work, CFIG helped secure important changes including:
- replacement of the mandatory empties take-back requirement with an alternative agreement option,
- the end of the discriminatory LCBO discount gap between grocery and convenience,
- access to the full LCBO catalogue, including consignment products,
- a 50% reduction in AGCO licence fees,
- and opposition to private label proposals that could have disadvantaged independents.
Advocacy Wins
Grocery Code support
CFIG continues to support members under the Grocery Code by answering questions, helping identify systemic issues, and assisting with issue resolution. The deck notes that 5 issues related to independents had been flagged so far in 2026, with 4 resolved without escalation.
Advocacy Wins
Interchange fees
CFIG has been active in advocacy around interchange fees and payment fairness, including opposing unchecked fee increases, challenging proposed changes that would increase merchant costs, and pushing for stronger protections for businesses. This work helped contribute to halting fee increases, reducing average fees, strengthening the Payments Code of Conduct, and blocking proposals such as co-badged credit/debit cards and changes to Interac’s flat-fee structure.
Key advocacy areas
Areas we’re working on
CFIG’s advocacy work spans a range of issues that affect the day-to-day realities of independent grocers.
Grocery Code of Conduct
Helping members understand the Code, resolve issues, and strengthen independent participation and representation.
Alcohol policy
Advocating for fairer rules and better market access for grocers under Ontario’s alcohol modernization framework.
Payment and interchange fees
Pushing for lower costs, greater fairness, and stronger guardrails for payment processing.
Labour and workforce
Supporting efforts for greater flexibility in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program while recognizing the need for accountability and responsible reform.
Affordability and pricing policy
Responding to policy proposals and government actions that may unfairly place pressure on grocers, including retail price interventions and grocery pricing studies.
Supply chain and inspection issues
Raising concerns where government changes may negatively affect grocery operations and the broader food supply system, including opposition to cuts affecting the Destination Inspection Service.
Independent grocers serve communities across Canada, including rural and remote areas, and their business realities are often different from those of larger chains. Effective advocacy helps ensure public policy reflects those realities and supports a fairer operating environment for independents.
Membership
Become part of the national voice for Canada’s grocery industry
CFIG offers different membership types designed to support independent grocers and the businesses that serve them. Each membership provides access to advocacy, industry programs, and exclusive member benefits tailored to your role in the grocery ecosystem.
Retailer Membership
Small under 3500 sq. ft.
$359/ year
Large over 3500 sq. ft.
$709/ year
Retail Membership is for independent or franchised grocery stores operating at least four core grocery departments (e.g. grocery, produce, meat, dairy).
- Government & Industry Advocacy
- CFIG National Scholarship Program
- Independent Grocer of the Year (IGYA)
- Master Merchandiser Awards
- GIC & GSF Discounted Member’s Rate
- Trade Show Free Access (GIC & GSF)
- Networking Opportunities
- Sponsorship Opportunities
- Continuing Education
- Exclusive Discounts
Associate Membership
$1079/ year
For companies that supply products or services directly to independent and franchised grocery retailers.
- Government & Industry Advocacy
- CFIG National Scholarship Program
- Independent Grocer of the Year (IGYA)
- Master Merchandiser Awards
- GIC & GSF Discounted Member’s Rate
- Preferred Exhibitor Rates for Trade Show Booths
- Trade Show Free Access (GIC & GSF)
- Networking Opportunities
- Sponsorship Opportunities
- Continuing Education
- Exclusive Discounts
Affiliate Membership
$514/ year
For service providers and industry partners supporting the grocery sector who do not qualify for retailer or associate membership.
- Government & Industry Advocacy
- CFIG National Scholarship Program
- GIC & GSF Discounted Member’s Rate
- Preferred Exhibitor Rates for Trade Show Booths
- Trade Show Free Access (GIC & GSF)
- Networking Opportunities
- Sponsorship Opportunities
- Continuing Education
- Exclusive Discounts