Although the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Industry denied making any payments to grocers since 2006, the Trudeau government provided $12 million in funding to grocery giant Loblaws in 2019.

The ministry has denied funding grocers since 2006 in response to an order question posed by BC NDP MP Alistair MacGregor.

"Canada’s grocery sector since January 1, 2006, no federal funding has been provided to Loblaws, Metro, Walmart, Sobeys or Costco," read the reply on behalf of the ministry.

However, Loblaw was the recipient of a very high-profile green grant by the Environment Ministry.

The parent company of Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart, owned by the well-connected Weston family, was awarded $12 million from the Low Carbon Economy Fund to install lower-emission refrigeration systems in 370 stores in April 2019.

At the time of the $12 million boon to Loblaw's bottom line, the company was just 18 months out of the company's role in a years-long price-fixing scheme.

In March 2015, Loblaw rattled on itself to the Competition Bureau for participating in an industry-wide price-fixing agreement to artificially inflate packaged bread prices from 2001 to 2015.

Loblaw received immunity from prosecution for cooperating and then offered customers $25 gift cards to apologize for the gouging.