The City of Toronto’s community housing is a disaster, so why would the city be any better at running a grocery store?<\/p>\n
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Published Mar 14, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 1\u00a0hour ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n We all know that food prices are high in Canada, but taking another step towards socialism won\u2019t fix that.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Despite it being a horrible idea, Toronto Councillor Anthony Perruzza<\/a> wants our municipal government to start operating grocery stores.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The idea was floated by New York City\u2019s socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani and now Perruzza, a one-time MPP for Ontario socialist NDP, wants Toronto to adapt the idea and open at least four stores across the city.<\/p>\n \u201cI think food is a big part of where people spend their money, and if we\u2019re talking about affordability and making life a little more affordable for Torontonians, I think it\u2019s an area that if we were able to do something and lower food, everyone would benefit by that,\u201d Perruzza told City News this week.<\/p>\n \u201cIt would be run very much like a business,\u00a0a non-profit business, and if there are investments that are going to be made in these stores, a lot of those investments will be recovered through those business models,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Your Midday Sun<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n He\u2019s put forward a motion for council to consider next week. Let\u2019s hope it goes down in defeat.<\/p>\n But with the make-up of this City Council there is a good chance it would pass.<\/p>\n This being an election year, it would be easy to see Mayor Olivia Chow and her cadre of socialist-leaning councillors taking up an idea that amounts to nothing more than left-wing populism.<\/p>\n The city doesn\u2019t have a good track record of running operations usually run by the private sector and city-run grocery stores in other areas don\u2019t have a great track record.<\/p>\n Has anyone looked at the abysmal functioning of Toronto Community Housing Corporation? Through TCHC the city is the biggest landlord in the country and many of their units are far from in good repair.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Their own report on the state of their properties says they own \u201cover 1,300 aging buildings with a growing repair backlog of $8.42B\u201d and that \u201ca large percentage of the portfolio in critical or poor condition.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI will not tolerate slum lords,\u201d Chow said earlier this week at a news conference designed to layout her plan to push back against bad landlords.<\/p>\n News flash for you, the City of Toronto is a bad landlord, one could easily argue a slum lord.<\/p>\n But sure, let\u2019s have the city take on the task of selling its citizens groceries.<\/p>\n The perception that food costs are rising in Canada due to greedy grocers just hiking prices sounds good, but it isn\u2019t backed up by the facts. The profit margin for grocery food sales is between 2-4%, which any retailer will tell you is a very tight profit margin.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n People pointing to the billions in profits at companies like Loblaw\u2019s or Sobey\u2019s need to remember that the fattest part of that profit isn\u2019t from selling you milk or bread, it\u2019s from selling you a pair of jeans, that mascara in your purse or any of the other myriad of products they sell.<\/p>\n Reacting to the idea that the City of Toronto should get into the business of running grocery stores, Professor Sylvain Charlebois, an academic expert in Canada\u2019s food system, said it would be tough for the city to do it.<\/p>\n \u201cCanada talks about cutting red tape, yet keeps proposing more state intervention. That\u2019s Canada, in a nutshell,\u201d Charlebois said.<\/p>\n \u201cGrocery retail runs on razor-thin margins and complex supply chains. Running a store is harder than regulating one.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n CHARLEBOIS: Global shocks are driving food prices but Canada’s policies make it worse<\/p>\n <\/a> CHARLEBOIS: When price of oil surges, grocery bills will follow<\/p>\n![\"city-run](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/city-run-grocery-store-e1773445081808.jpg\")
Toronto Councillor Anthony Perruzza is pushing for city-run grocery stores. Photo by Getty Images\/Toronto Sun photo illustrationArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.7.1\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tsun.svg\"){kind=logo}
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Councillor Anthony Perruzza is seen on the campaign trail in 2018. Photo by Toronto Sun filesPerruzza will ask fellow councillors to back the move<\/p>\n![\"Chow\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Olivia-Chow-fles-Nov14.jpg\")
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow\u2019s tax-the-rich plan raises taxes beyond luxury homes and won\u2019t address Toronto\u2019s growing financial crisis, writes columnist Brian Lilley. Photo by Jack Boland \/Toronto SunGrocery prices aren\u2019t being hiked due to greedy grocers<\/p>\n![\"Stock](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/2266129843-e1773403236702.jpg\")
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