CANADIAN RETAILER Holiday 2015 PREVENTING LOSS Canada's loss prevention community gathered for Retail Council of Canada's annual Loss Prevention Conference in September where speakers and delegates alike discussed all of the top-of-mind issues affecting the industry and its professionals. PAGE 20 FEATURES FEATURE INTERVIEW UPS ITS GAME IN POWER PLAY 12 INTERAC SHOWDOWN WITH CREDIT Mark O'Connell is stoked and spoiling for a fight. The president and CEO of Interac Association- Canada's de facto champion of debit-says that it's time to hit back at the credit card companies that are muscling in on his turf. CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS 20 LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS Retail Council of Canada's annual Loss Prevention Conference boasted a shell-shocking agenda, one that left little doubt concerning the herculean mission that merchants face in protecting their retail environments. Find out what keynote speakers have to say about the current and future state of loss prevention. LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT LIFETIME IN PROTECTION 26 ARita Estwick has seen loss prevention turn from a "lock the door" function into a strategic component of retail. She was recently honoured with Retail Council of Canada's 2015 Loss Prevention Lifetime Achievement Award. We sat down with her to discuss the current state of retail LP and what it means to be recognized by her peers. GROCERY SECTOR SECTOR STANDS UP TO 28 GROCERY LP CHALLENGES With a set of risks specific to the sector, grocers are working toward protecting against loss in all its forms. Find out what some are doing to ensure security within one of the most vulnerable sectors in the industry. CYBER-SECURITY 32 ENTER: THE CSIO Over the past five years, breaches to data have cost businesses billions in direct and indirect costs, and reputations have been battered and bruised. Retailers have moved to protect themselves through investments in technology and the deployment of a new role in the organization to spearhead security efforts. INDUSTRY STUDY RETAIL 100 38 CSCA Created by the Centre for the Study of Commercial Activity at Ryerson University, the CSCA Retail 100 brings you the top 100 retail conglomerates operating in Canada as ranked by total estimated annual retail sales in fiscal 2014. Find out who made the list and what contributed to their inclusion. DEPARTMENTS 4 PUBLISHER'S DESK 6 RETAIL CURRENTS 10 RETAIL: AT ISSUE www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer 45 ADVERTISER'S INDEX ON THE COVER Photography by Ryan Francoz HOLIDAY 2015 | CANADIAN RETAILER | 3http://www.retailcouncil.org/cdnretailer