Retail Council of Canada held its Retail Secure conference this month, and provided this recap.
Retail crime is the number one issue Canadian retailers are raising with Retail Council of Canada and that reality was front and centre at Retail Secure 2026, their annual loss prevention conference. This year’s event drew hundreds of loss prevention professionals, technology providers, law enforcement partners, and government representatives unified by a shared commitment to making retail safer across Canada.
Workshops: Building the Foundation
Retail Secure launched two brand new half-day workshops on March 11, a shift toward hands-on, peer-driven learning the industry has been asking for.
The Art and Science of Retail Investigations, sponsored by Genetec, brought together retail leaders Alvaro Almeida (LCBO) and Brett Valente (RONA) with Peel Regional Police Deputy Chief Mark Dapat, to explore how collaborative approaches elevate investigative outcomes, from intelligence gathering to Crown reporting.
Collaborate with Confidence: Privacy-Conscious Information Sharing in Retail, led by Sharon Bauer (Bamboo Consulting) and Vy Hoang (i3 International), gave participants practical guidance on what data can be shared, how to structure responsible exchanges, and how to build the cross-organizational trust that makes collaboration sustainable.
Retail Secure Legends Awards
The third annual Retail Secure Legends Awards were celebrated at the event, with thirteen exceptional loss prevention professionals recognized for their leadership, innovation, and dedication to safer retail in Canada. View this year’s winners at rccretailsecure.ca/legends-awards.
30+ Exhibitors on the Floor
The Retail Secure exhibitor hall brought together more than 30 organizations across AI surveillance, evidence management, security staffing, body cameras, legal recovery, and communication technology.
Taking on Organized Retail Crime
ORC dominated the day’s agenda, and three sessions delivered a comprehensive picture of both the challenge and the response.
London Drugs’ Harjot Sahota and lululemon’s Matt Hall showed what effective retail-police partnerships look like in BC, highlighting joint response models and how intelligence sharing can turn fragmented incidents into prosecutable cases. CBSA’s Amik Cardinal raised the stakes further, walking the room through a coordinated cross-border effort that dismantled a sophisticated theft ring operating nationally and globally.
Hamilton Police Inspector John Pauls and Detective Nathan Rowan then presented a multi-jurisdictional investigation called Project Sommes that reframed isolated shoplifting reports as a coordinated criminal organization.
Cybersecurity and the RH-ISAC Partnership
Retail Secure also marked the announcement of a new strategic partnership between RCC and the Retail & Hospitality Information Sharing and Analysis Center (RH-ISAC), bringing global cybersecurity threat intelligence directly to retailers in Canada. The partnership will give RCC members access to real-time threat notifications, regional workshops, and RH-ISAC’s collaborative defense network.
Closing Session: From Tools to Tactics
Loblaw SVP Asset Protection Dean Henrico and Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah delivered a candid, ground-level look at LP technology in practice, covering both the investigative and in-field realities, alongside the shift from a reactive, physical approach to a data-driven model.
The conversations, case studies, and connections made at RCC Retail Secure 2026 reflect an industry that is aligned, engaged, and moving with purpose. RCC will continue advancing retail crime as a national priority and fostering the partnerships this community needs to drive meaningful change.
For more information on RCC’s loss prevention advocacy and how you get involved visit: retailcouncil.org/lossprevention.
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