City Park group resolves to keep food store in Saskatoon neighbourhood

Some residents in Saskatoon's City Park are are resolved to keep a grocery store in their neighbourhood.

Loblaws is closing their only full-service grocery, the Shop Easy, on 7th Ave. N.

In response, about 60 people turned out for a community association meeting Thursday night to figure out what to do.

"We're tired of corporations dictating our access to food," said Sugandhi del Canto.

She and about six other people have drawn up a preliminary plan to set up a food co-op.

Caveat to keep other groceries out

The community association's outgoing vice-president, Kirsten Routledge, had already done some homework. She told the gathering the Shop Easy is one of 52 stores across the country Loblaws is closing. And Routledge said the company told her it's unwilling to delay closure.

There is also a caveat on the property preventing another grocery story from opening there, she learned. 

Darren Hill, the city councillor for Ward 1, told the gathering there are two ways to get the caveat removed. They could convince Loblaws to lift it voluntarily. Or, the city could expropriate the property, but Hill said the ensuing legal battle would only be winnable if another grocery store is willing to operate there.

A good grocer would release that, or somebody that is community-minded.- Darren Hill, Ward 1 City Councillor

Hill said the city could also offer a tax abatement to try to entice Loblaws to keep the store open. But, the city's portion only amounts to $8,800 a year, and that probably is not enough to persuade the company, he added.

Hill explained it's a common practice for grocers to put a caveat on their properties, so that if they close they can drive their customers to their new location further out.

"A good grocer would release that, or somebody that is community-minded," he remarked.

One person asked if the city could expropriate if a group wanted to buy the building and lease it to a grocer. Hill said that idea would need to be explored.

Working group set up

Others at the meeting talked about approaching other grocery chains to try to interest them in opening at the abandoned location. And, they tossed around thoughts on what kind of grocery could succeed.

One single mother on disability told the gathering without a food store in the area, she will have to move.

A man who moved to Saskatoon just a few months ago declared "this is a question for the entire city, what kind of city do we want?"

Now the association has set up a working group to explore all the options, and solidify an action plan.

Meanwhile, Coun. Hill had a final piece of advice: commit to supporting whatever they bring in. He admitted to have only bought the occasional item at Shop Easy himself, saying "if most of us did our regular shopping there we wouldn't be having this conversation."