Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Stores no longer viable: Loblaw
No decision yet on future of two Extra Foods sites
Two Extra Foods stores -- one in Winnipeg's North End and one in Steinbach -- are closing because they are no longer economically viable, a senior official with the company's parent company said Monday.
"In both cases, the decision to close the store was not taken lightly," Julija Hunter, vice-president of public relations for Loblaw Companies Ltd., said in an interview.
Hunter said Loblaw hasn't decided what it will do with the two properties after the stores close, and she couldn't say when a decision will be made. She also wouldn't comment on what options are being considered.
In other provinces, Loblaw has closed Extra Foods stores and replaced them with one of its other discount supermarket brands, called No Frills. Although No Frills stores sell Loblaw's No-Name and President's Choice products, the outlets are owned and operated by franchisees rather than Loblaw or one of its subsidiaries. However, the president of the union representing unionized Loblaw employees in Manitoba said it would need the union's permission to do that. And no such request has been received, said Jeff Traeger, president of Local 832 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
Traeger said union approval is required under the provisions of a province-wide collective bargaining agreement the union has with Loblaw's Westfair Foods division, which operates its Extra Foods and Real Canadian Superstore outlets in Manitoba. He said Manitoba is the only province where a provincewide agreement exists.
Traeger said the union and Extra Foods employees were informed of the store closures on Friday. The company said the Steinbach store will close on Feb. 23 and the Winnipeg store on March 23.
The news comes just two months after the company closed its Extra Foods store at 600 Notre Dame Ave. in Winnipeg.
It still has eight other Extra Foods stores in the province -- four in Winnipeg and one each in Selkirk, Dauphin, Swan River and The Pas. Hunter said there are no plans to close them.
"It will be business as usual for all of them."
Traeger said the union expects most of the nearly 80 unionized workers at two doomed outlets will be offered jobs at other local Westfair Foods stores. In the case of the 37 Steinbach workers, it would be in the Real Canadian Superstore outlet in Steinbach, he said. And in the case of the approximately 40 Winnipeg workers, it would be at other Extra Foods outlets in the city.
Hunter confirmed Extra Foods is hoping to place the workers in other jobs within its operations.
But she couldn't say if it will find positions for all of them.
Longtime customers of the Main and Luxton outlet said they're surprised and angry it's closing. They said it always seemed to be busy, and the closure will be a blow to the many low-income families who regularly shop there.
"It seriously adds to the food desert in the inner city," area retiree Rowena Fisher said Monday.
Although there is a Canada Safeway store next door, Fisher said, "they compete on service, not price."
murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 29, 2013 B6
More Business
- Back to Top
- Return to Business
More Business
(1 of 50 articles for this week)
UN expert says Japan government, nuclear plant operator evading responsibility for disaster
2:34 AM 0TOKYO - A United Nations expert who investigated the aftermath of Japan's 2011 nuclear power plant disaster says the government ...
Poll
Most Popular Business
- Demonstrators rally against Monsanto in global anti-GMO protest
- Balancing today with tomorrow
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Federal government looks to snag corporate sponsors for Ottawa events
- Differing dollars
- New owner for lumber stores
- Netflix eyes subscriber boost
- Latest round in meat war hits the streets
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- Creative industries can fuel a city's economic engine
- New owner for lumber stores
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- 2 men arrested in killing of Las Vegas teen who refused to give up his iPad
- New downtown tower could be 42 storeys tall: developers
- Creative industries can fuel a city's economic engine
- Microsoft reveals Xbox One as all-in-1 entertainment console, last of 3 major systems unveiled
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- Skyline-altering project will happen: developer
- Housing slowdown to worsen, cost 150,000 jobs, says mortgage group
- Changes to CPP rules worth looking into
- Target opens its first Manitoba stores Tuesday
- New structure to be king of downtown?
- Transcona transformation
- Target opens Manitoba stores
- New owner for lumber stores
- Mounties say crooks passing fake polymer bank notes in British Columbia
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- City to get a touch of glass
- Canad Inns property has personal meaning for owner
- Holiday pump jump debated
- New owner for lumber stores
- Thorough record-keeping key to power of attorney
- Japanese investor on board with Manitoba's HyLife
- Career change seeds
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- Changes to CPP rules worth looking into
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Trust me
- Sideways move may be right way up
- New RBC policy restricts outsourcing
- New owner for lumber stores
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
- Changes to CPP rules worth looking into
- Developers to unveil plans for bold downtown tower
- Ex-'Pegger seeks to grow local businesses
- Skyline-altering project will happen: developer
- Bridging the gap
- There are lots of I's in 'team'
- More than a new boss
- New owner for lumber stores
- Transcona transformation
- New structure to be king of downtown?
- CEO, execs terminated at TCIG
- Target opens its first Manitoba stores Tuesday
- Canad Inns property has personal meaning for owner
- Winnipeg's got the REIT stuff
- Value Partners cracks $1-B mark in assets
- Older and jobless? Resource on hand
- MTS to sell Allstream to Egyptian investment group, focus on Manitoba market
Ads by Google











You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
Have Your Say
New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.