A Close-Up Look At Canada's Supply Management System

MONTREAL – Canadian cheese lovers, Marianne Renaut feels your pain.

The Belgian-born Quebecer is shocked by the high price of Canadian dairy, and trips to the grocery store here can rekindle a longing for the bargains available in Europe.

So what's the story with Canadian grocery prices?

It begins with supply management.

The system is a hidden, ubiquitous part of everyday life — one many Canadians aren't even aware of.

It affects the market for Canadian milk, cheese, yogurt, chicken and eggs — which can be vastly more expensive here than in the United States, with the gap widening, according to the OECD.

It is a staple of the rural economy. And it's now the subject of an increasingly heated debate, amid international free-trade talks and growing doubt about its long-term future.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Canadian Press