this post was submitted on 12 Mar 2026
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ValueSubtracted@startrek.website
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Manitoba asks Sobeys to scrap property restrictions near its stores or it'll go to municipal board (www.cbc.ca)
submitted 13 hours ago by ValueSubtracted@startrek.website to c/manitoba@lemmy.ca
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[–] a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.ca 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

These property restrictions should have never existed in the first place. I’m glad the NDP got rid of them and is pushing back against Sobeys on this.

If they still refuse to comply I’m curious to see what enforcement powers municipal board actually has, should things come to that. Because from what I’ve board the municipal board doesn't actually have a lot of teeth. For example, the municipal board sided with the Granite Curling Club when the the City of Winnipeg wanted to build affordable housing on the lot they lease, but the city just decided to ignore the municipal board, and this was perfectly legal of them.

[–] ValueSubtracted@startrek.website 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

In the Granite Curling Club case, the argument is that the Board was exceeding its authority by imposing conditions on a specific permit, rather than the actual bylaw.

I'm very thankful that I'm not well-versed enough in the minutia of local politics to have a strong opinion on the validity of this claim.

[–] a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.ca 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Right. I would be curious to hear how that was resolved. As far as I can remember there were no legal proceedings after that. So was the city simply asserting that the municipal board exceeded their authority enough to ignore them? I also am not well versed enough in the minutia of local politics to know the details here.

Ultimately though, I was happy that the city ignored the municipal board in that case. I think they should build affordable housing on that lot. But in this case, with Sobeys, I hope that the municipal board has some teeth and cannot be ignored. So I hope I can have my cake and eat it too.

[–] ValueSubtracted@startrek.website 2 points 10 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, I don't think I've heard an update on the situation since December, which is a little weird.

But in this case, with Sobeys, I hope that the municipal board has some teeth and cannot be ignored.

The situation in Brandon is ridiculous - they moved across the street to a location in the mall, and are just squatting on the lease of the old location so no one else can move in.

[–] a_gee_dizzle@lemmy.ca 2 points 10 hours ago

Yeah that is a little weird. I hope that that’s not due to complications with the municipal board. I kind of just took the city at their word when they said they were going to ignore the ruling. Luckily though there’s a lot of other cool infill developments happening, like the old Bay building or the extension of the Forks.

The situation in Brandon is ridiculous - they moved across the street to a location in the mall, and are just squatting on the lease of the old location so no one else can move in.

That is very silly. But I must admit didn’t actually realize that this new law can go as far as to dictate what you can and can’t do with a lease though. I thought this new pro-competition law was to prevent certain kind of contracts with property owners that prevent them from selling certain food items at a loss or below a certain price, etc. But if this new law can actually force Sobeys to lose some control over property it is actively renting, that is definitely much more expansive. I can see how that might cause some legal tangles. I’m all for it though.