May 29, 2026 "Downtown grocer closes after 3 decades amid series of legal, financial troubles": Today I found this article by Hannah Kavanagh on CTV:
The sun has set on a healthy grocer and eatery that called the downtown core home for more than 30 years.
Sunterra’s Jasper Avenue location saw a quiet turnout for its final day of operations on Friday. It first opened its doors in 1994.
Sunterra is an Alberta-based market and farm model that offers healthier prepared foods and locally sourced groceries.
The eight – now seven – locations across the province house meat products largely raised and processed by the company’s farms.
The Sunterra Food Corporation and affiliated companies filed for creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in April last year. The group cited months of financial strain amid
rising food
and labour costs.
Prior to that filing, in 2024, a Sunterra-owned meat processing plant in Trochu, Alta., was lost in a fire.
The company’s U.S. affiliates were also facing allegations of cheque-kiting south of the border
– fraud that involves writing a cheque drawn from a bank account that doesn’t have enough money.
An Alberta judge later ruled the grocer company was liable to U.S. agricultural lender Compeer Financial for around $35 million.
The downtown Commerce Place designation is one of two Edmonton Sunterra locations. The Lendrum market will remain open, through which Sunterra catering services will continue.
Aug. 5, 2026 "Sunterra in sale process after $35M cheque kiting decision": Today I found this article by Joel Dryden on CBC:
Several businesses operating under the Sunterra banner are in the midst of a court-supervised sales and investment process, months after a judge ruled in a civil action that the company engaged in “cheque kiting, on an astonishing scale” and is liable to American lender Compeer Financial for $35 million.
Most business units of the Alberta-based Sunterra,
which include grocery stores
and meat processing operations,
are up for sale
or investment.
Sunterra runs farm operations and a chain of well-known grocery stores with retail locations in
Calgary,
Edmonton
and Red Deer.
In his January civil court ruling, Justice Michael Lema wrote that Sunterra’s Canadian and U.S. companies sent cheques back and forth across the border
“at high volumes, in large amounts,
for reasons unrelated to actual business activity,
with the express aim of ‘covering’ account shortfalls
by the ‘deposit’ of incoming cheques themselves not anchored on actual cash balances.”
Sunterra sought to appeal that ruling, arguing lenders understood and accepted the cheque-based system, which was
“aimed at ensuring, on an ongoing basis, that no overdrafts were experienced on either side of the border.”
That request to appeal was denied in April by Justice Michelle Crighton at the Court of Appeal of Alberta.
Sunterra Farms was founded by the Price family of Alberta in 1970.
Sales process underway
Since last year, Sunterra has been operating under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA),
an insolvency process designed to give companies time to restructure
while temporarily shielding them from creditors.
A court order recently approved a sales and investment solicitation process,
which is a court-supervised process intended to find a buyer or new investor.
The potential for a recapitalization by the Price family is also a possibility.
Neil Narfason was appointed as chief restructuring adviser,
while KPMG Corporate Finance was appointed as sales adviser.
As part of phase one of that sales process, confidential non-binding letters of intent were received.
Phase two will focus on receiving binding bids.
Under the terms of the approval order, there is the potential for one or more of the businesses under the Sunterra banner to be refinanced to be kept afloat.
Art Price, the company's chairman, did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
Limited number of suitors: analyst
Doug Stephens, founder of Retail Prophet, a Toronto-based consultancy and research firm, said there’s always the possibility of private equity coming in to “save the day.”
But when it comes to making a bid to maintain the Sunterra model — including its commitment to
farm-to-table,
with a focus on produce and farm fresh meat
— there are a limited number of suitors that come to mind.
“The [Sobeys Farm Boy] concept … is modelled somewhat after Trader Joe’s in the U.S.,
which has some really interesting private label brands,
but a tighter selection of goods,”
he said.
Whole Foods also operates with a smaller store footprint,
though arguably would fall on the luxury end of the pricing model,
Stephens said.
“So, no, there’s not a heavy density of stores like Sunterra … in the market,” he said.
Originally known as Pig Improvement Canada,
the company launched its Sunterra Meats operation in 1990,
and its Sunterra Market retail stores the same year.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/sunterra-compeer-financial-sale-9.7296199
My opinion: When I saw the store closed down in Commerce Place, I was like:
"There goes another store or restaurant that closed down in downtown Edmonton."
This was in the Commerce building which is connected to the City Centre mall building.
City Centre closed down lots of restaurants and stores because of the COVID -19 pandemic.
My week:
Sat. Sept. 26, 2026:
Eileen C, Surrey, British Columbia, would like to know:
If you could press a button and instantly erase all AI from the world, would you do it?
Yes
60.98% (2169)
No
39.02% (1388)
My opinion: No, because AI can be helpful. This can make you more productive.
Mon. Sept. 28, 2026:
Agnes W, Burlington, Ontario, would like to know:
Do you trust artificial intelligence (AI)?
Yes, to some extent
47.94% (2119)
Not really
28.30% (1251)
Not at all
21.67% (958)
Yes, completely
2.08% (92)
My opinion: Yes, to some extent.
Tues. Sept. 29, 2026:
Annie-Claude L, Montréal, Québec, would like to know:
What type of colors do you prefer for your clothing?
Neutral colors (black, white, grey, beige)
57.61% (2518)
Cool colors (blue, green, purple)
28.62% (1251)
Warm colors (red, orange, yellow, brown)
13.77% (602)
My opinion: Neutral colors (black, white, grey, beige).
Fri. Oct. 2, 2026:
Kevin A, Orleans, Ontario, would like to know:
Are you worried about the future?
Yes
55.56% (2305)
In between
28.92% (1200)
No
15.52% (644)
My opinion: In between.
Sat. Sept. 26, 2026 West Edmonton Mall: I went there because my parents went grocery shopping at T&T.
Sephora recycling program: I recycled my empty chap stick there. You can recycle other makeup containers, toothpaste tubes, and dental floss boxes.
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