Canada’s grocery sector is getting another dose of competition reform.
The Competition Bureau of Canada has reached a formal agreement with Empire Co. Ltd., the parent company of grocery chains including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, and FreshCo, regarding the company’s use of property controls.
The agreement formalizes commitments Empire announced earlier this year and makes them legally binding through registration with the Competition Tribunal.
Under the consent agreement, Empire will no longer use or enforce certain land restrictions that can prevent properties from being used by competing businesses. These restrictions, often called property controls, can limit who is allowed to operate on a particular site or lease certain commercial spaces.
Empire has also agreed to limit its use of exclusivity clauses. These clauses can prevent landlords from renting space to businesses that compete with existing tenants.
The Competition Bureau says these types of restrictions can reduce competition in local grocery markets across Canada, making it more difficult for new grocery stores and food retailers to establish themselves in some communities.
By registering the agreement with the Competition Tribunal, the commitments are now legally enforceable.
The move is part of the Bureau’s ongoing efforts to increase competition in Canada’s grocery industry, a sector that has faced growing scrutiny in recent years over consumer choice and food affordability.
While shoppers are unlikely to see immediate changes, the Competition Bureau believes reducing these barriers could help create more opportunities for competition in local markets over the long term.
Source: Competition Bureau of Canada. With files from The Canadian Press, Sept. 22, 2026.
Comments