TORONTO, August 13, 2026 – The Metro store at 20 Church Avenue in North York will close today, August 13, before being converted into a Food Basics. The store is expected to reopen this fall.
Metro and Food Basics are both owned by Metro Inc., but the two banners serve different market positions. Metro operates as a traditional full-service supermarket, while Food Basics is a discount grocery chain that focuses more on lower prices, promotions and value.
The North York location is not the only store affected. According to the latest information released by Metro Inc., 10 Metro stores will be converted into Food Basics in the near future. The company will also close one store and one satellite warehouse. The overall restructuring is expected to be completed before the end of the 2027 fiscal year.
The company said one key reason for the decision is that consumers are becoming increasingly focused on price.
As food costs remain a major concern, more shoppers are paying closer attention to prices, promotions and private-label products when buying groceries. Metro’s management has also said that consumers are increasingly looking for value, and the company will continue expanding Food Basics locations to meet that demand.
The store conversions also reflect a degree of consumer downgrading in the Greater Toronto Area. Under pressure from food prices and the broader cost of living, more people are cutting back on non-essential spending and choosing lower-cost grocery stores with more discounts.
At the same time, the conversions will directly affect some employees. Metro said the restructuring involves some position eliminations, but it has not yet released the full number of affected workers. For the North York and Ottawa stores already confirmed for conversion, the company said some employees may move into roles at the new Food Basics locations, while others will be handled according to their respective union agreements.
Metro also expects the restructuring to improve recurring net earnings by about $15 million annually by the end of the 2028 fiscal year.
So while the change from Metro to Food Basics may look like a simple sign change, it also reflects shifts in consumer spending habits and the broader cost-of-living picture. As consumers adjust how they spend, more front-line workers in the retail sector may also be affected.（LJI by Yuanyuan）
