KLEIN: Kinew’s grocery plan won’t lower prices, but tax cuts put more money in people’s pockets

Premier Wab Kinew says his plan to remove restrictive covenants on grocery stores will lower food prices. It is a promising sound bite, especially at a time when families feel squeezed every time they walk into a supermarket. But policy is not judged by how it sounds. It is judged by results, and there is no credible evidence that this approach will make groceries cheaper for Manitobans.

The provincial announcement claims Manitoba is on track to become the first jurisdiction in Canada with “true competition” in the grocery sector. It cites 23 property controls submitted for removal under the new law. The government calls this an early success. The problem is that none of this addresses the real market structure driving food prices. Removing paperwork will not change who owns the grocery c