The Initiative to Make Guelph a Fair Trade Community

What Is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a different way of doing business. It's about making principles of fairness and decency mean something in the marketplace.

It seeks to change the terms of trade for the products we buy - to ensure the farmers and artisans behind those products get a better deal. Most often this is understood to mean better prices for producers, but it often means longer-term and more meaningful trading relationships as well.

For consumers and businesses, it's also about information. Fair Trade is a way for all of us to identify products that meet our values so we can make choices that have a positive impact on the world. Fair Trade Communities

The Fair Trade Towns campaign is an exciting initiative that recognizes communities that actively support Fair Trade, increasing both availability and awareness at the local level.

Why become a Fair Trade Town?

• To distinguish your community as a leader and to confirm your commitment to supporting the principles of Fair Trade, including a fair price, respect for labour standards, environmental sustainability, and more direct and equitable trade
• To improve the livelihoods of the millions of farmers and workers in the developing world who benefit from Fair Trade
• To create awareness and encourage local citizens to make ethical and sustainable choices
• To unite your community in a common cause
• To have fun and be creative

And we want Guelph to be a Fair Trade Town! The first phase of this project is awareness-raising, to:

• Let the community know that this initiative exists, and why
• Educate our citizens about Fair Trade, what it means and how it benefits not only the farmers and workers who produce fair trade products, but us, consumer as well
• Encourage the sale of Fair Trade products where possible, and
• Let people know where Fair Trade products can be found

The next phase will be to submit a proposal to City Council to pursue Fair Trade Community certification.

Note that this is not a commitment to only sell or purchase Fair Trade products! It does not place any restrictions or limitations on the retailer, the consumer, or on the city as a whole. Rather, it demonstrates our intent, as a community to support Fair Trade products and services wherever possible, and to continue to encourage the wider availability of Fair Trade products, to give the consumer more opportunities to purchase Fair Trade products from local retailers.

For more information on Fair Trade Canada, please visit: http://www.fairtrade.ca