Legal practice preventing competition near existing Manitoba grocery stores might come to an end

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 12, 2025 10:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

Manitoba's authorities has enactment guardant a measure barring market stores from preventing competitors from opening adjacent — but businesses could proceed to workout existing restrictions if they register.

During his 2nd throne code successful November, Premier Wab Kinew said his authorities would present authorities that eliminates the usage of restrictive covenants for market stores.

More details were released Wednesday connected the projected measure that would amend 3 pieces of authorities to code prohibitions connected the determination of market stores and supermarkets. 

Bill 31 would scrap exclusivity clauses and restrictive covenants for grocers, ineligible practices that bounds the kinds of stores that tin unfastened successful the vicinity of a peculiar company's location. 

Public Service Delivery Minister Mintu Sandhu told reporters astatine a scrum connected Wednesday the legislation's absorption is to unfastened up the marketplace for much grocers, including autarkic businesses — hoping it tin assistance bring nutrient prices down. 

"There volition beryllium much competition," Sandhu said. "We privation to stabilize those market prices." 

Property owners would person their existing controls voided, unless they registry them wrong six months aft the authorities passes, according to a explanatory enactment connected the measure shared by the government. 

When asked by reporters if the enactment for spot owners to protect their existing clauses would decision the intent of the bill, Sandhu said the state besides wants to marque definite the rights of spot owners are respected.

"We are giving them the accidental to adjust," helium said. 

Under the authorities a idiosyncratic tin statesman the reappraisal of a spot control, which tin beryllium referred to a municipal committee if the state determines the prohibition is contrary to the nationalist interest.

"This is successful the champion involvement of Manitobans," Sandhu said.