The Government of Manitoba introduced its budget implementation legislation that, if passed, will implement a PST exemption for prepared foods sold in grocery and convenience stores, while continuing to apply the tax to the same products sold by restaurants.

This remains a fundamentally unfair approach that continues to exclude restaurants.

Since this measure was first announced in the March Budget, Restaurants Canada has been actively and consistently pushing back. We have been clear: we cannot accept a policy that puts restaurants at a structural disadvantage to their competitors.

What we’ve done

We have taken a coordinated approach to advocate for change:

• Direct government engagement: We met with Finance Minister Adrien Sala to make a clear and direct case for including restaurants and have continued discussions with his senior officials. Kelly Higginson has written to both Minister Sala and Premier Wab Kinew, calling on the government to amend the legislation and include restaurants, and we have requested a meeting with the Premier.
• Broader cabinet outreach: We have also engaged the ministers responsible for tourism and labour to ensure the broader economic and workforce impacts are understood.
• Broader political outreach: We have engaged Opposition Leader Obby Khan and all MLAs to raise our concerns and increase pressure on the government.
• Public advocacy: We have been active in the media, including an op-ed by Kelly Higginson in the Winnipeg Free Press, reinforcing our message publicly, and we intend to remain active in the media.

Our Message

Our message has been consistent and clear: the government must amend its approach to deliver fairness.

• As currently designed, this measure does not operate as a neutral affordability policy.
• This is not a tax cut on food—it is a tax shift between competitors that creates winners and losers.
• It provides relief only if consumers change where they purchase their food, even when the product is identical.
• Differential tax treatment changes consumer behaviour and will shift demand away from restaurants
• Restaurants are significantly more labour-intensive than grocery retail, meaning this policy puts jobs at risk
• The approach undermines affordability, particularly for lower-income Manitobans who spend a greater share of their income on restaurant meals

What you can do

Your voice is critical.

We encourage you to contact your local MLA, Premier Kinew, and Finance Minister Adrien Sala to share how this policy will impact your business, your employees, and your community.

The global economy is rapidly changing, and many Canadians are feeling the effects at home—including workers and young people looking for jobs in a challenging job market. In response, the Government of Canada is focused on what it can control: creating good jobs for people across Canada to gain meaningful work experience that will set them on a path to a successful future.

In Budget 2025, we outlined our plan to build Canada strong. Since then, we have moved fast to build the major infrastructure, homes, and industries that grow Canada’s economy and create lasting prosperity; empower Canadians with better careers and a more affordable life; and protect our communities, our borders, and our way of life. 

We delivered concrete savings for Canadians while supporting key national priorities and keeping investments focused on results. We are maintaining a strong fiscal position, with Spring Economic Update 2026 showing that projected deficits are lower over the fiscal horizon and that we are on track to meet our fiscal anchors.  

Spring Economic Update 2026 is the next step in our plan to build Canada strong for all. It provides a clear update on the strength of Canada’s economy, giving Canadians confidence in our plan. It delivers targeted relief to make life more affordable, support workers, and accelerate the construction of homes and major infrastructure. It also strengthens Canada’s competitiveness and economic growth while investing in strong, safe communities across the country.  

Today, the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, met with the Marshall School of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship at the Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario, to highlight key investments from the Spring Economic Update to build trades and support Canada’s young people.

Canada’s future depends on the people building it. That’s why Spring Economic Update 2026 is proposing measures to help workers and young people gain the skills, experience, and support they need to succeed. 

We’re making it easier to learn, train, and find meaningful opportunities by:

• Creating new opportunities for young Canadians: Launching Team Canada Strong, the new $6 billion nationwide effort to recruit, train, and hire 80,000 to 100,000 new Red Seal skilled trades workers in the next five years, aligning with Canada’s housing, infrastructure, and defence needs. This measure will help:Making education more affordable: Extending for the 2026–27 academic year the increases to Canada Student Grants and interest-free Canada Student Loans—571,000 students are expected to benefit from the increase to non-repayable grants, and 422,000 students could benefit from the weekly loan limit increase. 
  • Recruit:
    • We will deploy $2 billion to support young Canadians with paid, job-ready placements that lead directly into registered apprenticeships.
    • This investment will also support the launch of the Build Canada Apprenticeship Service to provide up to $10,000 for an apprentice’s first-year salary, match apprentices to job opportunities, and offer direct navigation and support to help employers hire, train, and retain apprentices.
  • Train: 
    • We will boost and modernize apprenticeship training to expedite Red Seal certification with $331 million in funding over five years, starting in 2026–27, and $18 million ongoing.
    • We will digitize the Red Seal Program, introducing online exams, digital logbooks, and secure credentials to reduce certification timelines, including by creating a single national registered apprenticeship number.
    • We will expand the Union Training and Innovation Program to enable union-run training centres to upgrade facilities, expand capacity and invest in modern equipment.
  • Hire: 
    • We will provide $3.4 billion over five years, starting in 2026–27, and $468 million ongoing to address the challenges that can stop apprentices from completing their training and moving into permanent jobs.
    • We will offer a one-time $5,000 apprenticeship completion bonus to those who obtain certification in a Red Seal trade.
    • With the Apprenticeship Training Grant, we will provide a $400 weekly top-up while apprentices attend mandatory in-class technical training.
    • This represents a total payment of up to $16,000 per apprentice, paid in addition to Employment Insurance.

For those already in the workforce, we’re making it easier to find meaningful opportunities:

• Helping tradespeople go where the work is: Enhancing the Labour Mobility Deduction will make it more affordable for skilled workers to travel to where jobs are available.
• Encouraging shared ownership: Making the Employee Ownership Trust tax exemption permanent will help more workers share in the success of the businesses they help build.

As part of Budget 2025, young Canadians are gaining opportunities to work and build careers, with 175,000 placements supported in 2026–27 through Canada Summer Jobs, the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy, and the Student Work Placement Program.

The Government of Canada is transforming our economy from reliance to resilience. Spring Economic Update 2026 ensures all Canadians can participate in building Canada strong and share in its success.

A new report, released by The Staffing Agency titled Beyond the Boom: Canada’s Hospitality Labor Market in 2025 and the Road to 2030, shows spending in Canada hit $104 billion in 2025, with employment higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2019. Dining rooms are full again and travel has returned, yet the industry is still struggling to hold on to workers.

The Canada-focused report shows that hospitality operators are hiring, but not securing long-term staff. Termed as ‘labor paradox’, the report states that margins are getting strained by part-time roles where students, newcomers and temporary workers fill critical shifts. That keeps operations running, but drives turnover and weakens reliability.

Costs are compounding the issue. Labor is no longer just hourly pay. It now includes higher wage floors, added premiums in expensive cities, benefits and the ongoing cost of turnover and training. Margins are tightening even as demand holds. “In Canada, the wage increase isn’t a threshold; it’s the new baseline,” said Steven Kamali, CEO of The Staffing Agency. “The question now isn’t if we can pay more, but if we can make the model work.”

Another trend revealed in the report is that housing has emerged as the defining fault line. In major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal, workers can’t afford to live near their jobs. So, commute becomes longer and shits go unfilled. Union activity is also rising in urban centers, reshaping scheduling, pay structures, and operations.

Kamali adds, “The pressure is not limited to Canada. In the United States also, wage growth is outpacing productivity in many markets, while housing constraints continue to shape labor availability. Canada’s reliance on international talent adds another layer of sensitivity to policy changes.”

The path forward should be to build a more reliable talent pipeline, address housing near job centers, and tailor workforce strategies by region. Without this, growth will remain uneven. You can view the full report here.

May 6, 2026 – Toronto, ON – Lactalis Canada, the Canadian dairy leader behind iconic brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro, and Lactantia, and part of France-based Lactalis Group, today released its 2025 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting continued progress in delivering sustainable, responsible growth while strengthening its connection to Canadians, communities, and the broader dairy sector.

“In 2025, despite ongoing economic uncertainty, Lactalis Canada remained firmly anchored in our purpose: to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians through sustainable, responsible growth,” said Mark Taylor, President & CEO, Lactalis Canada. “We continued to deliver trusted products, strengthen partnerships across our value chain, and advance our ESG priorities in practical and measurable ways. As we look ahead, we remain focused on building a resilient dairy sector, supporting communities, and advancing ESG priorities in collaboration with our employees, farmers, customers, partners and suppliers.

With more than 140 years of heritage in Canada, Lactalis Canada’s products are now found in 94% of refrigerators nationwide, reflecting the strong trust Canadians place in its brands. In 2025, the company reinforced its commitment to local production through Buy Canadian initiatives, including consumer campaigns and expanded use of the Blue Cow logo to help Canadians make informed purchasing decisions.

The company also demonstrated leadership across the industry by becoming the first supplier to formally sign the Grocery Code of Conduct, supporting greater transparency, accountability, and fairness across the grocery supply chain.

Aligned with Lactalis Group’s global ESG framework, the report focuses on three pillars of impact: People & Communities; Authentic Products & Heritage; and Land & Resources, underpinned by priorities in Climate, Circular Economy & Packaging, and Animal Welfare.

Key 2025 highlights include:

People & Communities

• Recognized on Forbes’ Canada’s Best Employers 2025 list
• Contributed $3.4 million in community investment and supported 125+ organizations nationwide
• Delivered 2,400 employee volunteer hours, a 21% increase year-over-year
• Continued partnerships with Kids Help Phone and The Grocery Foundation to support youth wellbeing and food security, along with partnering with Second Harvest on its Food Rescue App

Authentic Products & Heritage

• Expanded product innovation, including high-protein and lactose-free offerings aligned with evolving consumer needs
• Maintained strong food safety performance, with 100% of distribution centres certified to recognized standards
• Advanced responsible sourcing, achieving 100% cage-free egg sourcing across the portfolio

Land & Resources

• Entered a $10 million decarbonization partnership with SOFIAC to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions at our Victoriaville and Laverlochère Quebec facilities.
• Awarded the Canadian Grocer 2025 Impact Award (sustainability category) for our Oshawa, Ontario distribution centre’s sustainable design
• Advanced circular packaging initiatives across our operations, including – among other projects – the conversion of the Balderson spreadable tub to a fully recyclable design and the replacement of foil on 45 million butter stick packs with a compostable parchment solution.

The report also highlights employee-driven innovation through the Next Ventures program, which generated more than 100 ESG-focused ideas in 2025.

To read Lactalis Canada’s 2025 ESG Report, click HERE.