Advocacy

In 2004, the RVDA of Canada  retained Impact Public Affairs (IPA) to monitor the activities of Members of Parliament and government departments relevant to the RV industry. This has allowed the RVDA of Canada to effectively advocate to government and communicate strategically with the public on issues and legislative initiatives that impact the RV industry.

Our national advocacy program was initiated to ensure that the industry : 

• achieves recognition and has an effective voice with government officials of all parties; and
• is proactive and establishes itself as a valuable source of industry insight to government as it develops legislation rather than attempting to change legislation after the fact.

Each April, RVDA of Canada leads RV Industry Awareness Days on Parliament Hill. Bringing together industry representatives and convening discussions between industry and government, our Advocacy Days includes:

• a national board meeting, featuring industry discussions, updates and executive briefings on the state of government and relevant legislative items
• a networking reception with MPs
• a full day of meetings between board members and various MPs, Ministers, and representatives of other pertinent departments and organizations.

Active portfolio items include:

• Buy local strategies
• Safety regulations
• Tourism: co-branding and cooperative efforts
• Government Pre-Budget submissions
• Access to skilled workers
• Human resources and education grants
• Investment in National Parks
• Environmental issues
• Small Business tax issues

Recent submissions on behalf of RVDA members: 
We welcome your input
RVDA of Canada strives to ensure a healthy economic and legislative environment for its members. If there are  issues you believe RVDA of Canada should advocate for, please contact us at info@rvda.ca.

Grassroots advocacy
The main goal of grassroots outreach is to discuss issues of concern to your business and highlight issues such as the recovery from COVID-19; the shortage of skilled workers in the RV industry and the critical need to invest in camping and RV infrastructure. While the RVDA of Canada has also been vocal in its messaging to the government regarding small businesses issues, fair tax practices by CRA, trade concerns, the Association’s main focus remains on these issues.

The election kit provides instructions for contacting your candidates and preparing for the meeting, key messages and post-meeting actions. Also included is a sample email/letter that can be sent to each candidate's local campaign office that you should feel free to print on your letterhead.

Local, grassroots efforts can make a huge impact on the direction undertaken by government. Our Parliamentary Partners kit offers general tips and tools for you to use.