BC NDP pledges price cap on grocery staples and new food terminal
David Eby announced a plan on October 2 that would cap profit margins on essential foods and open a wholesale food terminal in the Lower Mainland, which the party says would save families up to $700 a year.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on dailyhive.com.
At a press conference in Kelowna on October 2, David Eby announced that a re-elected BC NDP government would cap profit margins on essential grocery items and open a wholesale food terminal in the Lower Mainland. Daily Hive reported the plan would save BC families up to $700 a year on grocery bills, according to the party.
The BC NDP calls the mechanism a "price guard." According to Daily Hive, it would cap profit margins on milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and poultry. Eby said at the press conference that the province has only five major grocery store chains, and the party cited figures showing grocery prices are 27 per cent higher than five years ago.
The party also pointed to the wealth of two prominent grocery families. In 2025, the Weston and Pattison families, who own Loblaws and Save On Foods respectively, grew their combined wealth by $4.4 billion, the BC NDP said. Eby told reporters, as reported by Daily Hive, that he expected Jimmy Pattison's business to manage despite the measures, and that the goal was to protect families at grocery checkouts.
The plan also includes a crackdown on surveillance pricing at grocery stores, where retailers monitor individual shoppers to adjust prices in real time. In addition, the BC NDP says it would work with the federal government to establish an independent food terminal in the Lower Mainland, where local farmers and smaller grocers could buy produce wholesale at competitive prices.
The $700 annual savings figure is the party's own estimate. The BC NDP has not published a breakdown showing how that figure was calculated, and it has not been independently verified.
David Eby is the BC NDP leader and candidate for the Vancouver-Point Grey district.
To see the BC NDP's full platform and compare it with other parties, visit /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp. The provincial election is on October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. To confirm your registration and find your nearest voting place, go to elections.bc.ca.
Questions this story answers
What did David Eby announce about groceries on October 2?
David Eby announced that a re-elected BC NDP government would use a 'price guard' mechanism to cap profit margins on essential food items, including milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and poultry. The party says this measure would save BC families up to $700 a year on grocery bills, according to Daily Hive. The announcement was made at a press conference in Kelowna.
Which grocery items would be covered by the profit cap?
According to Daily Hive, the profit cap would apply to essential food staples: milk, eggs, cheese, butter, and poultry. The BC NDP calls the mechanism a 'price guard.' The party says it would also crack down on surveillance pricing at grocery stores, where retailers monitor shoppers to adjust prices.
Why is the BC NDP targeting grocery profits now?
Daily Hive reports that the Weston and Pattison families, who own Loblaws and Save On Foods respectively, grew their combined wealth by $4.4 billion in 2025, according to BC NDP. The party also says grocery prices in BC are 27 per cent higher than they were five years ago, and that the province has only five major grocery store chains, giving them significant pricing power.
What is the food terminal the BC NDP is promising?
If re-elected, the BC NDP says it would work with the federal government to open an independent food terminal in the Lower Mainland. According to Daily Hive, this would allow local farmers and smaller grocers to buy produce wholesale, giving them access to competitive prices that large chains already enjoy. The party says this would help bring more competition to the grocery sector.
What did David Eby say about grocery chain owners?
At the press conference, Daily Hive reports Eby said: 'In this announcement, don't worry about Save-On-Foods, don't worry about Jimmy, he's going to land on his feet, but we have to take steps to make sure families are protected at this time.' Eby was referring to Jimmy Pattison, who owns Save On Foods through the Pattison family group.
Is the $700 annual savings figure verified?
The $700 per year figure comes from BC NDP, as reported by Daily Hive. It is the party's own estimate of how much a household could save under the profit cap plan. The party has not published a detailed breakdown of how this figure was calculated, and it has not been independently verified.
How does this announcement relate to the BC NDP's earlier gas tax promise?
This is a separate announcement from the gas tax cut the party announced on October 1, where BC NDP pledged to reduce provincial taxes on gas and diesel by 10 cents per litre. The October 2 grocery announcement targets food costs at grocery stores, not fuel. You can read more about the gas tax promise at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp.
Where can voters find more about BC NDP's affordability platform?
Voters can review the BC NDP's full platform and candidate list at /bc/provincial-2026/parties/bc-ndp. The election is on October 24, 2026. Advance voting runs October 16 to 21. To find your voting place and check if you are registered, visit Elections BC at elections.bc.ca.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
Found an error? Tell the editors with the corrections form. A correction is noted on the story it changes. Read our standards.
