Toronto Is Moving Ahead On City-Run Grocery Stores

Toronto is moving forward with a proposal to pilot four non-profit grocery stores as a means of tackling rising food costs and growing food insecurity in the city.

The city-run grocery store idea, popularized by New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani during his recent winning campaign, was pitched by Toronto city councillor Anthony Perruzza earlier this month and passed in a 22-4 vote this week.

According to the motion, priority for the stores, which would sell food at cost, would be given to low-income neighbourhoods with limited access to grocery stores.

The grocery stores, according to the Toronto Star, would ideally operate using a warehouse model similar to Costco, but as a non-profit. Federal support and buy-in for the affordability measure could strengthen this model and make it likelier to spread to more cities in the province and beyond.

Grocery prices are an ongoing concern for Canadians at large. Surveys suggest the cost-of-living crisis is seeing more people reduce their food consumption, or use credit cards and pay-day loans to buy groceries as a means of coping with the relentless pressure of high prices. In recognition of the wide-ranging effects of the affordability crisis, the City of Toronto declared a food insecurity emergency in December 2024.

More than a year later, that emergency seems to be being taken seriously as a problem to act on in Toronto. Let's hope Ottawa takes notice.