Dominion Stores Limited/Les Supermarchés Dominion Ltée

Dominion Stores Limited/Les Supermarchés Dominion Ltée

Dominion Stores Limited/Les Supermarchés Dominion Ltée, with head offices in Toronto, is a Canadian food distributor and merchandiser incorporated in 1919. The company was so named from 1976 to 1986, when it adopted the name Domgroup Ltd. Dominion grew by various acquisitions until 1983, when it acquired ARGUS CORPORATION's share of Standard Broadcasting Corp. That year Argus Corp increased its holdings in Dominion to 40%, and a government investigation of trading activities resulted. Dominion operated 390 grocery stores in 7 provinces (all its assets in Québec were sold in 1981) and, through subsidiaries, also operated convenience stores, delicatessens, drugstores and gas bars.

In 1986 the Supreme Court of Ontario ordered the company to return $38 million it had withdrawn from the union pension fund. Later that year, it had sold, closed or franchised 43 supermarkets and most of its assets were held for sale. By February 1987 the dismantling and sale of the company were complete, bringing more than $300 million to its former owners. A & P Canada, the largest corporate grocery chain in eastern Canada, continues to operate some of the stores.