food basics toronto

Toronto finally gets the Food Basics it doesn't want

The grocery store wars started to heat up in Toronto earlier this year after a select few Junction Triangle residents started a petition against a Food Basics opening in their neighbourhood.

Signage at the base of the Fuse2 condo building, located at the corner of Dupont and Landsdowne, initially indicated that the former warehouse space would become a Metro.

However, Metro Inc., decided to open a Food Basics - its discount arm - in its place.Some weren't pleased with this alleged bait-and-switch and someone started an online petition to protest it. The petition has since garnered 300 digital signatures and delightful comments such as:

"This isn't complicated. The neighbourhood isn't low end, and hasn't been for a long long time - and no one in it is thrilled to see low end storefronts open up."

Some folks advocated for the cheaper store, writing:

"If you don't like Food basics, nobody is holding a gun to your head to shop there. Be an adult and just go somewhere else. How dare you yuppies move in to this neighbourhood and start dictating on what can and can't be here? Those people with the "I only bought at Fuse because of a Metro" comments, really need some life coaching. "

A rep from Metro Inc., previously said, "The business decision was made to open a Food Basics at Lansdowne and Dupont because we believe it will better suit the needs of the community."

The store is now open. And it sells beer.

Lead photo by

Derek Flack


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