Kenney says border restrictions creating 'crisis' of empty shelves in grocery stores
Premier Kenney says COVID-19 border restrictions are creating a crisis highlighted by empty shelves in Alberta grocery stores.
Kenney tweeted out images of sparsely-stocked shelves Monday morning, saying "I’m getting pictures like this from grocery stores across Alberta this morning. This is turning into a crisis. It requires immediate action by the Canadian & US governments."
Kenney said he discussed the issue with several U.S. governors Monday, but wouldn't reveal which stores or communities the photos of empty shelves were from.
A number of CTV viewers shared photos of a mixture of full and empty shelves in their communities while a check of local groceries revealed mostly full shelves.
"I don't want to downplay or diminish some of the challenges we're facing right now. But people should not be concerned that there's not going to be enough food to eat that they don't have to go back to the panic buying that doesn't help anyone and hurts everyone actually," Sands said.
Gary Sands, senior vice-president for The Canadian Federation of Independent Shoppers, said there was no reason to panic.
"I don't want to downplay or diminish some of the challenges we're facing right now. But people should not be concerned that there's not going to be enough food to eat that they don't have to go back to the panic buying that doesn't help anyone and hurts everyone actually," Sands said.
"Omicron has ripped through the entire food supply chain," he added. "And that has resulted in labour shortages, whether it's a producer, distributor, wholesaler, packager, right through to the retail grocery store, where I'm hearing averages of 15 to 25 per cent for some of my members stores, so that that's a significant hit."
Sands said there was no doubt that vaccination requirements for truckers at the border have complicated things…in addition to road infrastructure damage in B.C. and the reality that there are always supply challenges in Canada in January because of winter weather.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.