Québec solidaire weighing priorities, including wealth tax and public grocery stores

They adopted a motion on Saturday saying that, if Québec solidaire were to form government, it would launch a pilot project to create public non-profit grocery stores. The government would buy food in bulk, prioritizing local products, and sell them at lower prices than big chain stores.

“Eighty per cent of the distribution of food sales are in the hands of only five main grocers,” said Alejandra Zaga Mendez, Québec solidaire’s economy critic. “We have to have more competition in order to reduce prices.”

Ghazal added that Canada’s major grocery chains have made large profits as some Quebecers struggle to put food on the table. The party wants to cap the profit margins for these retailers at two per cent.

She says publicly run grocery stores could help bring the cost of groceries down by up to 30 per cent.

The party estimates that the pilot project would require an initial investment of $100 million, and would cost $85 million per year to operate.

Québec solidaire says it plans to cover most of those costs by increasing taxes on the ultrarich.

The party adopted a motion to impose an annual capital tax of one per cent on those with assets worth $25 million or more. Québec solidaire says that could lead to $5 billion in government revenue.

The party has said it is drawing inspiration from New York City’s democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani.

Mamdani’s promises included faster — and free — buses, as well as city-run grocery stores. The initial store, he said, would open next year, with the remaining shops — eventually one in each of New York City’s five boroughs — opening by the end of his four-year term.

Avi Lewis, the federal New Democratic Party’s new leader, also put forward a public grocery initiative. Earlier this year, the city of Toronto adopted a motion to open four municipally operated grocery stores as part of a pilot project.

Over the weekend, Québec solidaire members will also debate the party’s housing plan, which includes a cap on rent increases, as well as policy priorities on health, education and the environment.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 9, 2026.

— With files from The Associated Press

Erika Morris, The Canadian Press

by The Canadian Press

Québec solidaire weighing priorities, including wealth tax and public grocery stores

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