Coverage & data quality
Know the panel.
Understand the limits.
This page documents the historical index panel and its gaps. We would rather you find our limits here, stated plainly, than discover them halfway through an evaluation. The Canadian Grocery Price Index began in July 2026 and is measured weekly; it is a young series, and the matrix below shows exactly how deep it runs in each city.
Documented coverage. Explicit limitations.
The panel at a glance
Six retailer families: Loblaw, Empire (Sobeys), Metro, Empire's Voilà delivery storefront, Jim Pattison's Save-On-Foods, and Giant Tiger. Prices are read from publicly accessible retailer websites — these are online list prices, which can differ from the shelf, particularly for weight-priced produce and meat.
The gaps, named first
These are the three questions every buyer and every journalist asks. Here are the answers before you ask them.
Walmart Canada
outside the historical indexWalmart is outside the historical index. Any separately verified Walmart prices shown in the comparison tools or per-item datasets carry their own collection dates and coverage. They do not change this matrix or the index’s published history.
Costco
not coveredCostco is not in the panel and probably will not be. Pricing sits behind member-only, CAPTCHA-gated listings, so there is no reliable public price to read. Absent a commercial partnership with Costco, we consider this infeasible rather than merely pending.
Giant Tiger
partial basketGiant Tiger is a general merchandiser that stocks only part of the 50-item basket. Its cells publish only where they clear the 60% floor, it is dropped entirely in cities where its grocery assortment is too thin, and it never enters a cheapest-store call-out below 48 of 50 real prices.
What this means for the index: the CGPI measures the Canadian grocery market as covered by the 21 banners in the panel. It is not a census of Canadian grocery. If a share-weighted national aggregate matters to your use case, the missing warehouse-club and supercentre channel is the material caveat, and we would rather you weight around it than assume it away.
City × banner coverage matrix
Where we actually have numbers in the most recent published week, and how much of the basket each of those cells represents. Banner lineups are genuinely regional — Maxi and Provigo are Quebec, Safeway and Save-On-Foods are the West, Dominion is Newfoundland — so a sparse row is usually geography, not a collection failure. This week the index published 61 city × banner cells across 13 cities and 14 banners.
| City | Loblaws | No Frills | Superstore | Maxi | Provigo | Atl. Superstore | Dominion | Metro | Food Basics | Fortinos | Wholesale Cl. | Save-On | Independent | Giant Tiger |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VancouverBC4 banners | Loblaws, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Vancouver: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Vancouver: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Metro, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Vancouver: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Vancouver: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Your Independent Grocer, Vancouver: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Vancouver: no published cell this week. |
| CalgaryAB5 banners | Loblaws, Calgary: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Calgary: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Calgary: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Metro, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Calgary: 48 of 50 items priced (96% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Calgary: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Your Independent Grocer, Calgary: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Calgary: 43 of 50 items priced (86% — well covered). |
| EdmontonAB5 banners | Loblaws, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Edmonton: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Edmonton: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Metro, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Edmonton: 48 of 50 items priced (96% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Edmonton: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Your Independent Grocer, Edmonton: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Edmonton: 43 of 50 items priced (86% — well covered). |
| SaskatoonSK5 banners | Loblaws, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Saskatoon: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Saskatoon: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Metro, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Saskatoon: 47 of 50 items priced (94% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Saskatoon: 44 of 50 items priced (88% — well covered). | Your Independent Grocer, Saskatoon: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Saskatoon: 42 of 50 items priced (84% — well covered). |
| WinnipegMB5 banners | Loblaws, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Winnipeg: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Winnipeg: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Metro, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Winnipeg: 47 of 50 items priced (94% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Winnipeg: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Your Independent Grocer, Winnipeg: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Winnipeg: 43 of 50 items priced (86% — well covered). |
| TorontoON7 banners | Loblaws, Toronto: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | No Frills, Toronto: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Toronto: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Metro, Toronto: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Food Basics, Toronto: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Fortinos, Toronto: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Wholesale Club, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Save-On-Foods, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Toronto: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Toronto: 43 of 50 items priced (86% — well covered). |
| OttawaON6 banners | Loblaws, Ottawa: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | No Frills, Ottawa: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Ottawa: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Maxi, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Metro, Ottawa: 46 of 50 items priced (92% — near-complete basket). | Food Basics, Ottawa: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Fortinos, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Save-On-Foods, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Ottawa: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Ottawa: 43 of 50 items priced (86% — well covered). |
| MontrealQC5 banners | Loblaws, Montreal: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Superstore, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Maxi, Montreal: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Provigo, Montreal: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Atlantic Superstore, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Metro, Montreal: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Food Basics, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Montreal: 48 of 50 items priced (96% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Montreal: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Montreal: 41 of 50 items priced (82% — well covered). |
| Quebec CityQC4 banners | Loblaws, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Superstore, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Maxi, Quebec City: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Provigo, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Dominion, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Metro, Quebec City: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Food Basics, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Quebec City: 45 of 50 items priced (90% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Quebec City: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Quebec City: 40 of 50 items priced (80% — well covered). |
| MonctonNB4 banners | Loblaws, Moncton: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Moncton: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Maxi, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Moncton: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Dominion, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Metro, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Moncton: 44 of 50 items priced (88% — well covered). | Save-On-Foods, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Moncton: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Moncton: 38 of 50 items priced (76% — well covered). |
| HalifaxNS4 banners | Loblaws, Halifax: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Halifax: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Maxi, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Halifax: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Dominion, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Metro, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Halifax: 48 of 50 items priced (96% — near-complete basket). | Save-On-Foods, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Halifax: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, Halifax: 39 of 50 items priced (78% — well covered). |
| CharlottetownPE4 banners | Loblaws, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | No Frills, Charlottetown: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Maxi, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Provigo, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, Charlottetown: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Dominion, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Metro, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Save-On-Foods, Charlottetown: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, Charlottetown: 50 of 50 items priced (100% — near-complete basket). | Giant Tiger, Charlottetown: 39 of 50 items priced (78% — well covered). |
| St. John'sNL3 banners | Loblaws, St. John's: no published cell this week. | No Frills, St. John's: 49 of 50 items priced (98% — near-complete basket). | Superstore, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Maxi, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Provigo, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Atlantic Superstore, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Dominion, St. John's: 48 of 50 items priced (96% — near-complete basket). | Metro, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Food Basics, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Fortinos, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Wholesale Club, St. John's: 42 of 50 items priced (84% — well covered). | Save-On-Foods, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Your Independent Grocer, St. John's: no published cell this week. | Giant Tiger, St. John's: no published cell this week. |
Numbers are basket items priced out of 50 in the latest published week (week ending October 11, 2026). A dot means we published nothing for that city and banner that week — usually because the banner does not operate in that city, and occasionally because its coverage fell under the 60% floor and was suppressed at source. The two cases look identical here, so read a dot as “no number from us”, not as “no store there”. No cell in this week sits under the floor.
What has to be true before a number publishes
The rules below are applied mechanically, every week, with no discretionary override. They are the reason some cells in the matrix above are blank.
Weekly cadence, Thursday, with a Friday catch-up
The historical index panel is collected every Thursday at 08:00 UTC (04:00 Eastern). Any city that lands below 90% store coverage is re-collected automatically on Friday. Reporting weeks are bucketed in Canadian local time and end on Sundays, so a Friday catch-up lands in the same published week as the Thursday run it repairs.
The 60% publication floor
A city × banner (× category) cell publishes only when at least 60% of its basket slice — and at least two items — is priced in both weeks being linked. A cell that misses the floor is suppressed rather than published thin, which is why a blank cell in the matrix is sometimes a quality decision rather than an absent store.
Imputation is for basket cost, never for the index
When a banner does not carry a basket item, the displayed basket cost in dollars fills that slot with the city average for that item, so two baskets remain comparable in dollar terms. The index itself is a matched-model calculation: it only ever links prices for the same product at the same banner across consecutive weeks, so an imputed value can never create index movement. Every city page reports how many items in a basket were imputed.
Cheapest-store call-outs require 48 of 50 real prices
A sparsely matched basket looks artificially cheap, because part of its cost is synthetic. Only banners with at least 48 of 50 genuine, non-imputed prices are eligible to be named cheapest or most expensive. Below-threshold banners still display their basket cost — they just cannot win the ranking.
Wrong matches and outliers are quarantined out
Product matches that have been manually verified as wrong are held on a maintained quarantine list and excluded from the published series entirely. On top of that, a statistical filter drops any retailer-product whose weekly median sits outside one-third to three times the cross-banner median for that product, evaluated only where a product-week has at least eight observations across three or more banners. Both exclusions are applied before the index is computed, and because observations are append-only and the index is recomputed at read time, a correction propagates through the full history rather than leaving a step in the series.
Two limits worth stating out loud
The series is young
The published CGPI starts in July 2026. We report week-over-week change and change since inception, and nothing else. There is no year-over-year figure on this site because the data cannot yet support one, and we will not manufacture one by splicing in a pilot series.
Which index levels are comparable
Every series, the headline and the nine category sub-indices, at national, city and banner level, is measured directly against one base week (the week of July 13, 2026 = 100), so every level reads as change since that week and can be read against any other on that basis. A level still tells you nothing about which city or banner is more expensive: one series reading 103 and another reading 101 only rose by different amounts from different price levels. For that, use absolute basket cost in dollars, the natively comparable metric.
Questions about coverage
If you need a city, banner, or basket item we do not currently cover, tell us — panel expansion is prioritised by what subscribers actually need. Write to sales@grocerypulse.ca.