On January 14, 2026, the provincial government announced a province-wide freeze on the maximum retail price of one‑litre milk cartons for the 2026 calendar year to help families and seniors in Morden and across Manitoba manage grocery costs. The freeze will remain in place for the full year to keep this staple affordable amid rising living expenses.
The province said it would not proceed with a four‑cent increase that the Farm Products Marketing Council had floated for one‑litre homogenized, 2%, 1% and skim milk. Premier Wab Kinew said keeping milk affordable is important for children’s healthy development, and the government is exploring whether price controls could be extended to larger containers, including two‑litre and four‑litre sizes.
Regional reporting cited by local outlets notes the government wants to keep Manitoba’s milk prices among the lowest in the country. The move follows a period of rising food costs and a prior 25‑cent increase implemented in 2022 that the current government has cited in its decision to intervene.
The Retail Council of Canada has said retailers do not control all upstream costs involved in getting milk to store shelves. The Farm Products Marketing Council—the regulator with statutory authority over milk pricing in Manitoba—imposed the freeze on the maximum retail price. Manitoba is one of the few provinces that regulates the retail price of fluid milk, rather than regulating only the farm‑gate price.
