About Us

The Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) is a non-profit association representing the interests of Canada's land border duty free shops located at Canada–U.S. border crossings.

Founded in 1984, the FDFA has played a key role in shaping and supporting the duty free industry in Canada. Over the decades, we have worked closely with government, industry partners, and stakeholders to ensure a fair and competitive environment for our members and to promote the value of duty free to both travelers and the Canadian economy.

Our mission is to support the growth and success of the land border duty free sector by advocating on behalf of our members, promoting industry development, and providing resources that strengthen their businesses. Through ongoing government relations, strategic partnerships, and industry leadership, we ensure that duty free stores continue to thrive and showcase the best of Canadian products to travelers from around the world by:

• Advocating on behalf of our members with federal and provincial governments
• Promoting the unique benefits and contributions of the duty free industry
• Providing tools, research, and resources to strengthen member businesses
• Creating opportunities for networking, collaboration, and professional development

Membership
The FDFA represents a dynamic community of businesses connected to Canada’s land border duty free industry.

• Active Members: Our core membership includes 28 land border duty free shops across Canada.
• Associate Members: This category includes product and service suppliers, Canadian airport duty free operators, and U.S.-based land border duty free stores.

History of Duty Free Shops

Since the appearance of duty free shops at international airports and certain marine terminals in the mid 1960's and the inauguration of the land border duty free shop program in 1982, the Federal government and private interests have co-operated in an unbroken chain of mutually beneficial and successful business ventures. Today, duty free shops are an important and integral part of the Canadian tourist industry, acting as ambassadors to visitors to Canada.

This program, which is a direct extension of the many services provided to tourists in Canada, was initially intended to attract more foreign visitors by offering them significant tax and duty free savings on the purchase of a host of consumer items. An integral part of the introduction was to create viable business opportunities for independent business people, and to generate significant employment.

Moreover, the program has from the beginning promoted many fine Canadian-made quality products and offered high quality internationally recognized brands; jewellery, leather goods, crystal, wine/spirits, perfumes, and a wide range of electronics.

As a matter of policy, all duty free shops owners deliberately foster a distinctly Canadian flavour or ambiance in their stores.