Today, the Green Party of Quebec announced their 2nd priority for the 2026 provincial election : establishing a new, government run, grocery store program that could reduce the cost of groceries by 20% to 30%, with benefits for the environment, for farmers and for Quebec’s economy.
While the affordability crisis is destroying households all over Quebec, and profit margins for the 5 great grocery store chains keep going up, now is the moment to do concrete political actions to disturb the private monopoly on food distribution.
Public grocery stores will be able to :
- reduce the cost of groceries
- provide farmers with certainty that their stock will be bought
- ensure a healthy diet, which will reduce the burden on the public health system
- promote local consumption and reduce GHG emissions related to transport
- reduce food waste by offering end of life produce for free to those in need
- promote buying seasonal farmed goods
- eliminate the over packaging of produce
- supply groceries to northern communities at the same price as major urban centers
The Green Party of Quebec is planning a massive investment of 25 billion dollars to establish this network of 250 stores, 25 refrigerated warehouses, 500 delivery trucks and partnerships with thousands of farmers all over the province. These investments will be structural and much more efficient than the current approach, which funnels more and more money towards the private sector in hope of reducing prices. The invested money in this network will help to implement vital infrastructures that will lower prices massively from the start of this initiative and for many decades to come.
This network will be managed by a new state program named “Alimentation Québec”. After the initial investment in infrastructure, this program will not prioritize profit in distribution, transport, storage or sales, which will help the population to have 25% to 30% savings on their grocery bill.
Farmers will be able to create long term contracts with the government which will guarantee profits and offer stability, even in years where farming is impacted negatively by climate change. The government will assume a part of the risk linked with agricultural production.
Local produce will be favored by “Alimentation Québec”, and produce which doesn’t grow locally will be bought and imported in bulk to prone savings.
This public grocery store network will also be providing food for public institutions such as hospitals, schools, kindergartens and retirement homes.
A delivery service will also be offered and people will be able to manage their orders and look at inventories directly on an online store. There will be no subscription fee.
Food security will be enhanced by the public network, which will maintain reserves of food to be used in times of crisis or disruptions in the supply chain. Quebec will also be able to profit from those reserves that can be used to help populations in need.
This policy aims to reduce grocery costs while also prioritizing the environment.
Public grocery stores will also be using a reusable container initiative to reduce over packaging and pollution.
Workers will also be unionized and receive good, viable salaries. If the current 5 grocery store chains that have a monopoly on the sector take measures to disturb the implementation of this program, a Green government would adopt special laws to address non-ethical practices by these companies.
