07 | 26 | 2014 VOLUME 19 | ISSUE 30
NEW CHAIR TAKES THE HELM AT ELMIRA BIA VENTURE PAGE 14
COMMENT PAGE 6
INTERVENTION NO HELP IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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No Frills to become a Food Basics Forced to sell Elmira store and two others by Competition Bureau, Loblaws reaches a deal with Metro SCOTT BARBER Despite objections from many Elmira residents and local officials, the No Frills at 232 Arthur St. S. will be sold to Quebec-based Metro Inc. and converted to a Food Basics. The store is one of three locations in Canada that Loblaws Companies Ltd. was forced to sell following the acquisition of the Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation. In response to the $12.4 billion takeover, the federal Competition Bureau mandated the closure of either No Frills or Shoppers stores in communities that have both, fearing the company would hold a monopoly on the food and drug markets in small towns. Fourteen Shoppers locations will be sold across Canada, but only three No Frills. Brian McHugh helped organize a petition that
The buck stops here Competitors, including steer wrestlers, took part in the Kitchener-Woolwich Rodeo at the Calhoun Stables west of Maryhill July 19-20 in support of the Canadian Diabetes Association. [SCOTT BARBER / THE OBSERVER]
garnered some 2,800 signatures calling on the Competition Bureau to overturn its decision. “It’s disappointing, but I don’t think it was unexpected because we have been hearing these rumours for a number of weeks,” McHugh, the owner of Brian’s Photo in Elmira said. “Most of my customers that came in to talk about it, or to sign the petition or the postcard (sent to Prime Minister Stephen Harper). All said that they love Paul and Adele’s No Frills, and that they’ve done such a good job of making that a very successful discount grocery store.” Customers liked the price matching offered at the store he said, as well as the high level of customer service. Fortunately, the latter should continue under the NO MORE FRILLS | 4
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