City of Port Colborne

First Fair Trade Town in Ontario!  This recognition comes from Transfair Canada's Fair Trade Town Initiative.

Port Colborne, a very progressive and community orientated city is now officially the gateway to Fair Trade in Ontario!

Ask one of our participating businesses how you can join in our Fair Trade Town or call 905-834-6292

See Port Colborne's Fair Trade Town Partners

What is Fair Trade?

Fair Trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers - especially in the South.

10 Principles of Fair Trade

WFTO prescribes 10 Principles that Fair Trade Organizations must follow in their day-to-day work and carries out monitoring to ensure these principles are upheld:

    * Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers

      Fair Trade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.

    * Transparency and accountability

      Fair Trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to deal fairly and respectfully with trading partners.

    * Capacity building

      Fair Trade is a means to develop producers' independence. Fair Trade relationships provide continuity, during which producers and their marketing organizations can improve their management skills and their access to new markets.

    * Promoting Fair Trade

      Fair Trade Organizations raise awareness of Fair Trade and the possibility of greater justice in world trade. They provide their customers with information about the organization, the products, and in what conditions they are made. They use honest advertising and marketing techniques and aim for the highest standards in product quality and packing.

    * Payment of a fair price

      A fair price in the regional or local context is one that has been agreed through dialogue and participation. It covers not only the costs of production but enables production which is socially just and environmentally sound. It provides fair pay to the producers and takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by women and men. Fair Traders ensure prompt payment to their partners and, whenever possible, help producers with access to pre-harvest or pre-production financing.

    * Gender Equity

      Fair Trade means that women's work is properly valued and rewarded. Women are always paid for their contribution to the production process and are empowered in their organizations.

    * Working conditions

      Fair Trade means a safe and healthy working environment for producers. The participation of children (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play and conforms to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the law and norms in the local context.

 * Child Labour

      Fair Trade Organizations respect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as local laws and social norms in order to ensure that the participation of children in production processes of fairly traded articles (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play. Organizations working directly with informally organised producers disclose the involvement of children in production.

    * The environment

      Fair Trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production.

    * Trade Relations

      Fair Trade Organizations trade with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of marginalized small producers and do not maximise profit at their expense. They maintain long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect that contribute to the promotion and growth of Fair Trade. An interest free pre payment of at least 50% is made if requested.

With thanks to WFTO for this information.

World Fair Trade Organization http://www.wfto.com/

Ten Thousand Villages http://www.tenthousandvillages.ca/

TransFair Canada  http://www.transfair.ca/

Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) 
http://www.fairtrade.net/