Manitoba families pay price for inaction

Fort Garry

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/01/2026 (218 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba families are feeling the squeeze every time they walk into a grocery store. Over the past two years, Manitoba has seen some of the fastest-rising grocery prices in Canada, far outpacing the rate of inflation. For young families, seniors on fixed incomes and anyone already stretched thin, the cost of groceries has become an everyday crisis.

This didn’t happen by accident. Grocery prices are rising because of the large corporate chains that dominate the market and face little competition. When just a few companies control supply, pricing power shifts away from consumers and into boardrooms. Manitobans are left paying the price.

One thing Manitoba has done right for decades is regulate the price of milk. Due to longstanding provincial rules, milk remains one of the only staples that has not skyrocketed in price. It is clear that when government is willing to act, it can protect families from runaway costs.

Unfortunately, the Kinew government has not shown that same willingness to intervene in ways that have meaningfully lowered grocery prices. Its first response to rising prices was to cut the gas tax, claiming lower fuel costs would bring down grocery bills. That simply did not happen. Grocery prices in Manitoba continued to rise faster than almost anywhere else in the country.

Next, the government introduced a law preventing corporate landlords from refusing to rent space to two grocery stores in the same strip mall. The premier claimed this would increase competition and lower prices. But experts warned this approach would not work, and experience from other jurisdictions showed it would not work either. They were right. Grocery prices have not come down.

Now, after two years of inaction, the premier has announced a study to figure out why grocery prices are so high in Manitoba. This issue has already been studied extensively by the federal government. We know exactly why prices are high. What is missing is not information. It is political will.

There are proven solutions available right now. Manitoba can expand the list of provincially produced staples, such as milk, that are subject to price caps. The province can support the creation of non-profit grocery stores, especially in communities that lack access to affordable food. Manitoba can also introduce a grocery store code of conduct, like those used in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia, which bans large chains from charging excessive fees to suppliers. Those fees are passed directly onto consumers and reduce competition on store shelves.

The premier promised he would force big grocery chains to lower prices. He has not. Instead, he has chosen half-measures, delays and studies while families struggle to afford basic necessities.

Manitobans deserve action, not excuses. The Kinew government has the tools to lower grocery prices. What we need now is the courage to use them and the willingness to stand up to powerful corporations on behalf of Manitoba families.