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It's Your Turn
Current Consultations
Consultations on Services Trade Negotiations
Online Questionnaire for Canadian Businesses
Distribution Services
Background Information
The structure of the marketplace within the wholesale and retail sectors comprises approximately 350,000 small-medium enterprises. As for the franchising sector, there are approximately 65,000 franchises and 1,000 franchisers. About 25 percent of these are known to be of U.S. origin.
In 2000, retail and wholesale services accounted for 12.8 percent of total GDP, with both sectors growing respectively at rates of 5 percent and 8 percent over the last five years. These combined sectors employed more than 2.6 million Canadians in 2000, representing a 15 percent share of total employment. The majority of Canadian retail and wholesale firms are SMEs although the sector is dominated by a few large firms. In 1999, on-line business-to-consumer sales in Canada accounted for $2 billion in sales and were expected to reach $15 billion in 2003.
Definition of Sector in the GATS
The classification system that is used in the GATS by most WTO members, divides Distribution Services into the following five categories:
- Commission agents services
- Wholesale trade services
- Retailing services
- Franchising services
- Other, e.g., retail sale of motor fuel
What Canada Heard in Earlier Consultations
Feedback from the business community with regard to pursuing liberalization has not been extensive. So far, the Retail Council of Canada and the Association of Commission Agents have been consulted. A wholesaling association of Canada does not appear to exist. The Retail Council of Canada is dominated by "foreign firms" importing into Canada. Sub-sectors of interest remain the wholesale and retail services.
Priority Markets
Countries listed in the first tier were identified as priority markets by the Trade Team Canada; the second tier represents markets where Canadian corporations are already active; and the third tier represents other markets of potential identified by the Trade Commissioner Service.
First tier: United States, Mexico, Europe, Japan
Second tier: Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Colombia
Third tier: China, Malaysia and Australia
Market Access Barriers
Nothing specific has been identified on previous consultations. Further input will be sought during consultations on any market access barriers faced by exporters.
Go directly to the Questionnaire
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