For one woman, a Dartmouth neighbourhood is a 'food desert'

Gabrielle Deveau believes she lives in a "food desert."

Deveau moved to the Woodside area of Dartmouth three years ago, but said she may have reconsidered if she had known how hard it would be to buy groceries without a car. The nearest grocery store isn't just around the corner.

"So it's two buses for a three-kilometre trip," said Deveau. "And a 40-minute walk through the Woodside industrial area, with eight bags of groceries, it's not the most comfortable thing to do."

There used to be a grocery store in the middle of the community at the Woodside Plaza. Sobeys closed it in 2009.

A 20-year covenant was attached to the deed preventing a new grocery store or a medical clinic from moving in when the company sold the property to Regency Capital in 2011.

According to Deveau, many people in the area are forced to pay convenience store prices for basic supplies, pointing to the $7 price tag on a pound of butter at a nearby gas station.

"There are a lot of young families and a lot of older people with mobility issues," said Deveau.

Grant MacDonald, the chair of the Woodside Pleasant Street Neighbourhood Association, has lived in the area for 33 years and used to buy groceries at the nearby Sobeys.

But MacDonald is not convinced the covenant is the sole reason the community is without a grocery store.

"I think it's unfortunate in theory that's there's a prohibition, but in practice I'm not sure it's going to make a big difference," he said. "There just aren't a lot of people investing in small grocery stores anywhere."

This is how long it takes to get to grocery stores in the Woodside area by foot, bus or car

6 years ago

Duration 0:42

There used to be a grocery store in Woodside, but it closed in 2009. A 20-year covenant has prevented a new store from opening — and closing the distance gap for shoppers without cars.

The local municipal councillor believes the covenant undermines the planning goals that the municipality has for the area.

"In a neighbourhood hub you want people to access all the basic services," said Coun. Sam Austin. "I don't know if there's a grocery store waiting in the wings, but to preclude the possibility doesn't seem fair."

Austin said the municipality does not have the power to deal with property covenants. That would be a provincial matter.

'It's fundamentally unfair'

Claudia Chender, the NDP MLA who represents the Woodside neighbourhood, introduced a private member's bill last year that would have prevented covenants that affect access to food or health.

"Does it make sense for a private company to prohibit the sale of food and medicine for 20 years in the middle of the city?" asked Chender. "It's fundamentally unfair."

Chender's bill was tabled and is waiting to be dealt with, and Chender hopes the government will take another look.

A spokesperson for Sobeys said covenants are "a standard business practice" and can range from 15 years to unlimited.

But spokesperson Cynthia Thompson said the company has altered or lifted other covenants.

"We're always happy to hear a proposal from the current owner or developer for a specific property," said Thompson. "Sobeys will look at these proposals on a case-by-case basis."

Anthony Goshen, the current owner of Woodside Plaza, did not respond to calls.