Anyone who works in franchising knows the franchise industry is all about relationships: franchisees and franchisors working together for mutual benefit. Maybe that’s why the Canadian Franchise Association (CFA) community—the second largest national franchising community in the world!—is made up of such strong relationships.
In my role at A&W Food Services of Canada, I see the power of community every day. Our franchisees are focused on being actively engaged in their local neighbourhoods, and through communications with each other and head office, they are also active in our own A&W community. I’ve seen firsthand what can result from this active participation.
It’s in this spirit that I want to provide an overview of the CFA’s strategic pillars, which are the foundation for everything that the Association does for its members.
Four key pillars
The CFA is a member association and the voice of franchising in Canada. More than 600 corporate members, representing more than 40,000 individual franchisees, are members. Our members also represent more than 60 different industry segments, from foodservice to retail, pet care, automotive services, and beyond!
With such a large and diverse membership, it’s important for us to look forward in a strategic way, so that we can achieve our purpose of helping everyday Canadians make their dreams of business ownership a reality through the power of franchising.
That is why, through our strategic planning process at the CFA, we identified four pillars that are at the heart of everything we do:
- Community. We provide our members with credibility and a full range of programs and services to help them grow through the support of the franchise community.
- Education. We deliver the learning and networking opportunities for the Canadian franchise community to grow their business and make franchising stronger.
- Advocacy. We amplify the understanding and power of franchising in Canada by advocating on the new and emerging issues that impact the industry.
- Brand Awareness. We help everyday Canadians realize the dream of building their own businesses by connecting people with the right opportunities in franchising.
(You can read more about our work in each of these areas in the CFA’s annual Accomplishments Report!)
Growing together®
The CFA holds a variety of events over the course of the year that help bring the Canadian franchise community together. From Meet & Greets to our annual National Convention, and many more events in between, our members receive ample opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with their franchise industry peers.
In 2024, we welcomed 102 new members into the fold! That’s 102 more franchise brands joining our thriving group of likeminded professionals who recognize an underlying truth: when one CFA member succeeds, so does the entire franchise community.
The strength of our CFA community is also shown in our volunteers. Last year, more than 400 volunteers donated their time to participate on committees, contribute content to our publications and podcast, and helped advocate to protect and advance franchising in Canada.
And if you’ve ever been to a CFA event, you know the community is strong: the atmosphere is always lively, with a friendly collection of professionals always eager to connect, collaborate, and learn from one another. Some of the flagship events in the CFA’s annual calendar include:
- National Convention, which brings together more than 600 members of the franchising industry for educational sessions, networking events, and our annual CFA Awards Gala
- CEO Circles and C-Suite events, which provide space for executives in the franchise industry to connect and discuss critical issues facing their businesses with other franchisors across Canada
- Meet & Greets, which bring together members of the CFA community for networking and social time
- World Franchise Day, a new initiative launched in June 2025, which sees our reach expanding to the global community, as members of the franchise community around the world promote and celebrate the franchise business model
- And of course, educational and professional development events including the annual Franchise Law Day, Marketing and Operations Day, Franchise Your Business seminars, Franchise Development Day, and more!
If you haven’t yet joined the CFA community, I encourage you to read more about membership here, and reach out and connect with one of the Association’s staff to learn more.
Community is a powerful driver of success. In fact, we believe that when we work together, we do better—that’s why the CFA’s motto is “Growing Together®.” We see this every day, and now you will experience it too.
So what are you waiting for? Come join our community!
