Québec solidaire (QS) hopes that the rollout of a network of public grocery stores, as it proposes, will provide “massive” support for local agriculture. With about a month to go before the election campaign kicks off, the political party unveiled its strategy on Wednesday to support local agriculture and strengthen Quebec’s food sovereignty by reviving its idea of nonprofit, wholesale-style—or “Costco”-style—public grocery stores. Adopted at the party convention last May, this proposal aims, among other things, to compete with major grocery chains and reduce the cost of the grocery basket. This national network of public grocery stores would be tasked with supplying public institutions and promoting access to affordable local food for consumers through service locations in various areas. By relying on the consistent needs of public institutions, such as hospitals, schools, and long-term care facilities, this could “guarantee stable and predictable volumes for farmers at fair prices,” QS argues. “This approach will, in particular, allow medium-sized farms to invest without fear of price fluctuations caused by the monopoly of the food giants,” the party states in a press release. QS spokesperson Ruba Ghazal explains that about half of Quebec’s farming businesses generate less than $100,000 in annual revenue. “Many farmers—both men and women—can’t even make a decent living from their work… We need to do better to support our farmers, to provide them with financial security and, above all, predictability,” she says. The party’s second spokesperson, Sol Zanetti, believes it is “not normal to eat American carrots when we have carrots growing right here at home.” “We need to better support our local agriculture and increase access to local foods in the market,” he adds. At last May’s convention, MNA Alejandra Zaga Mendez explained that the proposed model for public grocery stores would function as a “food wholesaler that buys local products, purchases in bulk, and resells in bulk.” It would also aim to support the development of nonprofits such as community food pantries and cooperatives. QS also suggests opening 15 consumer service points in food deserts and remote communities “where prices are higher, while cutting out costly middlemen.” The proposal, inspired by a pledge made by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is set to be one of the flagship measures of the Québec solidaire’s election platform.
