Welcome to RCC

Forty-five years ago, retailers founded RCC to unite storeowners and represent retail's interests. We can only wonder what those retailers in 1963 would have said if they were asked to imagine the retail industry in 2008. Chances are they would have been very pleased to see just how far we have come.

The next 45 years and beyond look bright for the retail industry in Canada because retailers know how strong we are when we stand together in pursuit of our common interests.

RCC has become one of the top industry associations in Canada because so many retailers over the years have given their time, effort, and ideas to RCC and the betterment of the retail industry. This past year, we saw many new members sign up and hundreds of retailers volunteer their time to RCC events, policy meetings and committee work. They do this because they see a signifi cant return on investment

As we move forward, I want to see RCC continue to advance the interests of retailers before governments, in classrooms, and on the world stage. As Chair, I've had the great pleasure of working closely with so many of my retail colleagues. Make no mistake: we're a competitive bunch. But when we come together for the retail cause, that same competitive spirit makes us a powerful force. The many successes of this past year are testament to the hard work and forward thinking of our national team of retailers and RCC's staff.

We welcome each of you to lend your hands and minds to the retail cause in the coming year. Getting involved in RCC's events, committees and publications is as simple as contacting RCC's staff to fi nd out more.

The future looks exciting. There's so much work for us to do. Let's do it together.

Chair,
Kevin Layden
COO, Best Buy
International

Personally, I'm not surprised. For anybody who is as close to the retail industry as I am, you know just how creative and resilient Canadian retailers can be. Over the past 45 years, retailers have seen booms and busts, tax hikes and tax cuts, the rise of credit and debit cards, and the birth of globalization. There have been some setbacks, to be sure, but each decade has seen Canadian retailers survive and come ahead stronger than ever.

The longevity and success of Retail Council of Canada is a testament to the hard work of this nation's retailers. Everything RCC has accomplished over its history is a direct result of the leadership, direction and skill of retailers across Canada. Our success is your success, and I say we should all be proud of what we have done together.

This year will mark the first of our next 45 years (and, I hope, plenty more after that). What the future holds is anyone's guess, but we already know retailers in Canada will face stiffer competition and a different kind of customer in the years to come. We also know

This report provides some perspective on our first 45 years, examines our successes over the last year, and looks forward to what RCC will do to help improve the status of retailers. Throughout this document, you will see just how active our membership and staff have been in educating policymakers about retailers' concerns, identifying ways to improve retail performance, building new capacities in the retail workforce, and so much more.

The work we accomplished this year is the direct result of the leadership and dedication of our Chair, Kevin Layden, his fellow Board members, and the hundreds of retailers who donated their time and energy to RCC's events and committees. I extend my most sincere thanks on behalf of RCC and all retailers across Canada.

We will continue our longstanding role as the Voice of Retail and to bring retailers together to address our common challenges.

Diane J. Brisebois
President & CEO
Retail Council of Canada