The Liberal Party in Canada, led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, last week pledged to provide a bridge program to sustain Canada’s hardest hit businesses, which includes the operators of Canada’s land border stores. The pledge will help the tourism, hospitality, conventions and festival sectors survive the enduring impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the […]
FDFA
Canada opens border to vaccinated Americans
From grandparents waiting to hold new babies for the first time to holiday travelers desperate to enjoy a summer vacation, Americans lined up in their cars at 26 border crossings between the U.S. and Canada on Monday, as Canada finally opened to fully vaccinated American tourists for non-essential travel for the first time since March […]
Canada eases border restrictions for vaccinated travelers, starting with Americans on Aug. 9; U.S. extends closure
Canada’s federal government announced Monday, July 19, that fully vaccinated U.S. citizens and permanent residents who currently reside in the U.S. can travel to Canada for non-essential purposes without quarantining as of Aug. 9. Additionally, Canada announced that it will open its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from any country for non-essential purposes, with proof […]
FDFA petitions Canadian government for C$6.6 million in critical aid as land border duty free business remains shuttered
With Canada’s land borders with the United States shut down for all but essential traffic for more than 16 months and business in the country’s duty free stores down more than 95%, Canada’s Frontier Duty Free Association is desperately petitioning the federal government for some relief to the crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The […]
Frontier Duty Free Association applauds Canadian Government support for the Hardest Hit sectors
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) has applauded the Canadian Federal Government’s long-awaited Fall Economic Statement released this week which centers around support for Canada’s hardest hit businesses. The FDFA joined together with the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses earlier this year in an effort to obtain much-needed relief for its land border members, whose […]
Canadian land border situation “dire,” says FDFA
FDFA Executive Director Barbara Barrett, speaking at the Duty Free World Council webinar the day of the CHHB announcement, says the situation for the land border stores is “dire” and is now about survival. “We are now at six months of the U.S./ Canadian border being closed with no indication from our sources that it […]
FDFA: Canadian government extends wage benefits for Hardest Hit Businesses after coalition appeal
A group of Canada’s businesses most impacted by COVID-19, which joined forces to help save two million Canadian jobs, received a positive response from the government. Last week the Coalition of Hardest Hit Businesses (CHHB)—of which the Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) is a member — launched a campaign calling on the federal government to extend the […]
Status of Canadian border stores after closing of border with U.S.
The U.S. and Canadian governments agreed to close their shared border to non-essential traffic on Wednesday, March 18. While some stores that serve commercial trucks carrying essential goods have remained open, most others have closed. Barbara Barrett, Executive Director of Canada’s Frontier Duty Free Association confirmed to TMI that CBSA (the Canada Border Services Agency) […]
Frontier Duty Free Association unveils 2019 Gold Standard winners
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) held the 2019 Gold Standard Awards at the Imperial Gala on November 13, in Toronto, during the annual FDFA Convention. For over two decades, the FDFA has selected winners for the 14 unique Gold Standards awards, to showcase the best in Canadian Duty Free. The awards honor products, suppliers, […]
Frontier Duty Free Association prepares to work with new Canadian government as 2019 Convention convenes
Convention highlights Reporting that attendance at the 2019 FDFA Convention was up, with more than 230 people in attendance, Frontier Duty Free Association Executive Director Barbara Barrett told TMI that the goal is for everyone to have “meaningful connections.” “Suppliers, buyers and owners are all busy in meetings, doing business,” she said about the annual […]
Frontier Duty Free Association unveils 2019 Gold Standard Award finalists
The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA), has announced the finalists for the 2019 Gold Standard Awards, which will be awarded at the Imperial Gala on November 13, in Toronto, during the annual FDFA Convention. For over two decades, the FDFA has selected winners for the 14 unique Gold Standards awards, to showcase the best in […]
FDFA prioritizes return of Visitor Rebate Program
One year after taking over as Executive Director of the Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA), Barbara Barrett tells TMI that the Canadian land border duty free association is prioritizing the return of the Visitor Rebate Program. In 2007, Canada became the first country in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to cancel its […]
Sault Ste. Marie Duty Free: Fishing for partners in the North
In TMI’s continuing series on the Gold Standard winners of the Frontier Duty Free Association for 2018, Sault Ste. Marie Duty Free Store nabbed the top Marketing award by taking partnership marketing to a new level in order to increase its day to day customer base. Located on the Canadian side of the International Bridge […]
FDFA 2018 General Operators Meeting opening session: FDFA President Abe Taqtaq reviews past year with pride and optimism
FDFA President Abe Taqtaq, of Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Duty Free Shop, opened the 2018 Operator General meeting with a very upbeat welcome. “This year I am more excited and optimistic to open our meeting knowing what is in store for the FDFA future,” he said, discussing the enthusiasm and accomplishments of the current Board of Directors, which was elected two […]
IGL Duty Free wins FDFA’s Best New Idea Award with WeChat/Alipay options
Montreal-based Importations Guay Ltee. (IGL) won the Best New Idea Award at the Frontier Duty Free Association’s Gold Standard Awards at its annual convention in Toronto last week by introducing payment options for its growing base of Chinese customers. IGL, which has seen an influx of Chinese visitors over the past several years with […]
