“The OCSA will continue to offer its support to any and all municipalities that wish to join the fight against contraband tobacco,” says Dave Bryans, CEO of the Ontario Convenience Store Association.
The Ontario Convenience Store Association (OCSA) applauded members of the Thunder Bay City Council, who passed a motion against contraband tobacco at a meeting Monday.
The motion requests that the city’s mayor write a letter to encourage the Ontario Minister of Finance to follow through on promises to increase resources to fight against contraband tobacco.
“The contraband usage, particularly amongst Thunder Bay youth, is particularly troubling,” said Dave Bryans, CEO of the Ontario Convenience Store Association. “A local study of area high schools found that 70% of the cigarettes were illegal.”
Bryan said the OCSA congratulates Thunder Bay’s City Council on following through to stop the sale of contraband tobacco. OCSA plans to continue to support any cities or townships that want to join the fight against contraband tobacco.
“As the government looks to follow through on budget commitments to stop contraband tobacco, support from all levels of government will be critical in helping protect the safety of our communities,” Bryans said.
The Ontario Convenience Stores Association represents more than 7,000 c-store operators throughout the province that are committed to responsible community retailing.