I hear from so many of you - parents, seniors, newcomers, students who tell me the same thing: groceries are getting too expensive, and I don’t have many options. I have felt that too.
For years, grocery companies have been able to block other stores from opening nearby or in their place when they vacate. Many neighbourhoods have experienced this, reducing their access to one grocery store or in some cases none at all ("food deserts"). This is because of a legal tool, restrictive covenants, that grocery companies apply to stifle their competition. And when there’s no competition? Prices go up – and families pay the price.
The provincial government has the power to lift these restrictions. That's why I've moved the following motion at City Council calling on the Government of Alberta to follow the lead of Premier Wab Kinew and the Manitoba NDP and remove the restrictive covenants:
Motion: That the mayor on behalf of City Council advocate to the provincial government to enable grocery store competition via the removal of restrictive covenants and exclusivity controls for grocery stores.
So what can the Alberta Government do?
They can pass a law to remove the existing restrictive covenants and to ban them in future agreements.
And what does that mean for you?
It means more competition which helps bring prices down.
It means more sales, more options, and less stress at the checkout.
It means more grocery options, closer to home.
It means families keeping a little more money in their pockets where it belongs.
More stores → more competition → better prices.
This is about making life easier, one grocery bill at a time.
And I will keep working every day to make life more affordable for Edmontonians.
BACKGROUND:
(Picture: Councillor Janz guest lecturing to public health students at the University of Alberta)
This is a topic that has come up frequently in neighbourhood planning meetings. I recently had the opportunity to guest lecture to public health students at the University of Alberta.
Check out this recent Op-Ed from U of A Professor, Dr. Noreen Willows: Alberta can lower food prices by banning supermarket property controls
"To help support Albertans, the government should consider a no-cost initiative to counter the inflationary pressures on food prices. It can stop unfair grocery market competition, which is a factor in the rising cost of groceries. Most Canadians buy groceries in stores owned by a small number of grocery giants. These conglomerates keep competition low and food prices high using property controls."
Manitoba:
In 2025, the Manitoba Government led by Premier Wab Kinew, became the first province to take action on grocery store competition by removing restrictive covenants.
"Manitoba is on track to become the first jurisdiction in Canada to have true competition in the grocery sector, with 23 property controls already submitted for removal in response to the Property Controls for Grocery Stores and Supermarkets Act (Bill 31), which passed earlier this year, Premier Wab Kinew and Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu announced today."
Read more here: https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=71917