National

Champagne, Freeland meet with grocery executives to discuss stabilizing price

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Sep, 2023 10:54 AM

Top executives from Canada's major grocery chains are in Ottawa this morning to meet with two federal cabinet ministers and discuss measures to stabilize grocery prices.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne are set to meet with executives from Loblaw, Metro, Empire, Walmart and Costco this morning.

Canadians are struggling with the increased cost of living, and in particular the price of food.

That’s why, this morning, I will be meeting with the CEOs of the 5 largest grocery chains to discuss concrete solutions to stabilize food prices.
— François-Philippe Champagne (FPC) 🇨🇦 (@FP_Champagne) September 18, 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last week that the federal government is asking major Canadian grocers to come up with a plan by Thanksgiving to stabilize prices.

Trudeau warned that if the plan is not good enough, Ottawa will take further action — and the government is not ruling anything out, including tax measures.

The call comes as grocery prices rose 8.5 per cent year-over-year in July, showing a slight easing of price growth but still running much hotter than overall inflation at 3.3 per cent.

The Retail Council of Canada said in a statement last week that grocer prices profits have nothing to do with the rising cost of food, pointing instead to higher costs being passed on from food manufacturers and producers.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Ng won't confirm status of 'Team Canada' mission to India amid strained relations

Ng is scheduled to lead a five-day "Team Canada" trade mission to Mumbai with leaders from Canadian businesses and provinces, leaving on Oct. 9. The trade mission, the first in Asia under Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy, is focused on boosting Canadian clean-technology companies as a way to help meet India's need for renewable energy.

Ng won't confirm status of 'Team Canada' mission to India amid strained relations

Vancouver council approves zoning to allow multiplex units in most neighbourhoods

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim says the city has taken a "huge step" toward "housing attainability" by approving multiplex units in single-family neighbourhoods, but critics of the plan argue the step is little more than a shuffle. Councillors unanimously endorsed a motion Thursday night that creates a single residential zone across most of the city, clearing the way for what supporters call "missing middle" housing.

Vancouver council approves zoning to allow multiplex units in most neighbourhoods

No illicit drugs in parks

The B-C government's drug decriminalization policy has changed to make it illegal to possess illicit drugs near playgrounds, water parks and skate parks. The Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions says the change is intended to keep drugs and drug users away from what it calls "child-focused spaces," adding to the existing list of excluded spaces that includes schools and childcare facilities.

No illicit drugs in parks

B.C. to end state of emergency as wildfire risk winds down

The British Columbia government says it is ending the state of emergency imposed last month when thousands of residents were chased out of their homes by wildfires. The government says in a statement the wildfire risk is diminishing in much of the province as temperatures cool, allowing most residents to return home.

B.C. to end state of emergency as wildfire risk winds down

DNA match in Ibrahim Ali murder case as exact as identical twins, B.C. court is told

An RCMP expert testifying at Ibrahim Ali's murder trial told the court she has never seen a DNA match as close as the one between the suspect and samples found on his alleged victim — except for DNA matches between identical twins. Forensic biologist Christine Crossman said police investigators were very thorough in their collection and testing of genetic samples from the body of the 13-year-old girl, whose identity is protected by a publication ban.

DNA match in Ibrahim Ali murder case as exact as identical twins, B.C. court is told

Ex-B.C. police chief to investigate release of suspect before Chinatown stabbing

Former Abbotsford police chief Bob Rich has been appointed to look into the release of a man from British Columbia's psychiatric hospital before the man allegedly stabbed three people in Vancouver's Chinatown. Premier David Eby said Thursday that he has read the BC Review Board report on the accused and wants Rich to determine how the man could have been released, despite being a "really significant danger to the public."