Department stores and chains formed RCC's membership in 1963, and that early membership accounted for 50 per cent of Canada's store volume. McKichan says that RCC's members discovered early on that representing a crosssection of the retail industry, rather than just one format, would produce a stronger voice for retailers.
1984: Harry Rosen at RCC's
STORE conference |
As shopping malls and power centres arrived on Canada's retail landscape, and as more independent retailers opened up shop, RCC's membership base also changed to reflect consumers' growing retail choices.
1995: Striking up the band at STORE. |
To engage retailers across all sectors and formats, RCC developed seminars and conference programs, including STORE — Canada's Retail Conference, the Resources Protection (now Loss Prevention) Conference, and the Retail Human Resources Conference. These educational activities, combined with the association's mandate to help retailers recruit more workers, led to the development of the Canadian Retail Institute (CRI), the organization's education division, which has developed certification training programs, promoted retail as a career for young workers, and led training workshops across the country. |
1990: First issue of Canadian Retailer |
RCC developed a strong service orientation in the 1980s and 1990s. It was the first trade association in Canada to offer credit card rate discounts to its members, and this dedication to lowering operating costs for retailers has blossomed with a comprehensive roster of cost-saving programs.
The 1990s also saw RCC take a more active interest in business communications. The in-house newsletter Canadian Retailer evolved into a glossy magazine that became the publication of record for the retail trade.
Another ongoing concern for RCC has been complementing the need for strong advocacy with responsive membership service across Canada. To that end, over the past decade RCC has opened offices in Vancouver (British Columbia), Edmonton (Alberta), Winnipeg (Manitoba/Saskatchewan) and Ottawa (Federal), with an Atlantic Canada office slated to open later this year. These field offi ces bring regional retail concerns to the national discussion and help promote retail interests at all levels of government.
Over the last 45 years, change has been a constant for this remarkable industry. But RCC's original mission — to represent and promote the interests of the retail trade in Canada — is one that promises to remain strong.
2006: Stasia Nawrocki, owner of Dansk Gifts in Edmonton and winner of the Visa Ambassador Award for independent retailers, with husband Bill at STORE 2006 |
|
