The Retail Council of Canada is calling on the federal government to take action in the face of skyrocketing incidents of theft, violence and organized criminal activity targeting its members.
A new report released by the council says retail crime in Canada “has escalated into a national crisis, impacting profitability, employee safety, and consumer trust.”
In an open letter sent this month to Justice Minister Sean Fraser, the group urges Ottawa to convene a national forum on retail crime — similar to last year’s successful summit on auto theft — and to champion Criminal Code reforms aimed at deterring repeat and organized offenders.
“Fundamentally, we must move past the outdated notion that retail crime is merely ‘shoplifting,’” the letter reads. “It is not a teenager stealing on a dare — it is organized, dangerous, brazen and increasingly violent. Changing this narrative is critical.”
Rui Rodrigues, a loss prevention advisor at the Retail Council of Canada, was a recent guest on our Closer Look podcast. He said retailers have reported a “massive increase” in violent incidents, with the use of weapons among thieves becoming a “daily occurrence.”
“We need changes today,” Rodrigues said. “It's a revolving door. A criminal in retail gets arrested, they are released the same day or next day — mostly same day — and they're back reoffending.”
You can watch the full interview in the above YouTube video.
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