Bold ideas, new frontiers: CICC 2025 Summit
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Calgary—home to the Convenience Industry Council of Canada's 2025 National Summit.
I can’t imagine a better place to discuss this year’s topics of bold ideas and new frontiers than in Canada’s Stampede City.
With 337 delegates, this is the largest summit CICC has held since its inception in 2019. And that number isn’t a mere head count. It speaks to how our industry and its association, CICC, have evolved.
CICC is the national voice of Canada’s convenience industry, and we are proud to play that role.
Our core belief is that convenience and community are synonymous. When Canadian communities do well, so does convenience. When they struggle, so does our industry.
How many other industries can say that they have a location in every riding or community in the country? Many smaller communities don’t have a grocery store, or a restaurant or a dry cleaner, but they do have a convenience store, and you know that that store is part of the heart of that community.
I witnessed this firsthand this summer, in the small community of Les Iles de la Madeleine. I happened to be there for part of National Convenience Week, and I wanted to visit some of our members. Les Iles are pretty small, so it was a short list! But the people at the local Harnois with the Depanneur du Village, were so welcoming, and so essential.
And together, all of us in this room today form the convenience supply chain for that Harnois on Les Iles and all the other c-stores in Canada. Whether you are a distributor, a manufacturer or a retailer, we rely on one another for business success. We are friends, we are neighbours, and we are business partners.
The CICC is the voice of everyone in the convenience industry. We have worked hard to tell your story to governments and now we are feeling the momentum grow.
You realize it when we are invited to sit at important tables. With Premiers, and Ministers right across the country.
When you are invited by the Premier of Ontario to join the Council of the Federations gala in Huntsville.
When you take that opportunity to send a message by curating baskets for each Premier with new and innovative products and a handwritten note about what our industry does for their constituents every single day.
When your texts to the Premier of Ontario about industry issues are returned in minutes.
As a small, but mighty team, we couldn’t be prouder to represent and fight for this industry. As I said to Canada’s Premiers “we thank you for your support and trust that you will be in our corner so we can stay on Canada’s corners.”
It doesn’t seem like it was ten years ago that so many familiar faces in this room met in Banff to discuss the future of the industry.
That was a very different time. But even so, we will be touching on the same issues again over the next three days, but in a different context and with different implications.
But we will tackle them with resilience, innovation and determination, the same three words that have described our industry for many years.
That’s why we are here. To chart a course for the future.
So, let’s engage and enjoy over the next few days and truly make this year’s summit the best yet.
Highlights
By CSNC Staff
The three-day Summit at the Hyatt Regency Calgary included two Trade Exchanges, marquee speakers and the Convenience Industry Awards Gala.
Congratulations to all the winners!
Robert & Jacques Beaudry Lifetime Achievement Award: Gary Batey & Trent McGowan
Outstanding Industry Leader: Steve Pitts, Circle K
Outstanding Partner of the Year: Molson Coors
Beer: Asahi Canada, Peroni Nastro Azzuro Stile Capri
Beer: Molson Coors, Heineken Silver
Beverages (Energy/Hydration): Coca-Cola Bottling Limited, POWERADE Xtra Sour Cherry Kicker
Beverages (Low / Non-alcoholic): Lake of Bays Brewing Company, Team Homan – Non-Alcoholic IPA
Beverages (Regular): Lassonde, Sparkling Ice Starburst Strawberry
Chocolate: Hershey Canada Inc., Reese’s + Nougat Bar
Confectionery: Perfetti Van Melle, Airheads Xtremes Belts – Rainbow Berry
Coolers: Labatt Breweries of Canada, Lil’ Mike’s Harder Lemonade
General Merchandise: BC Lottery Corp., “Concert of a Lifetime” Scratch & Win Ticket
Savoury Snacks: Twigz Craft Pretzels, Twigz Sour Cream & Onion
Sweet Snacks: Twigz Craft Pretzels, Twigz Cinnamon Churro
Wine: Colio Estate Wines, Girls’ Night Out – Strawberry Samba
