He tried to get into Montreal's kosher market.
asserted
He → try → market
It led to a battle over alleged meat monopoly
Jewish Community Council of Montreal accused of driving up costs through its kosher certifier
Mendy Boyarsky is fed up with the cost of kosher meat in Montreal and he’s on a mission to bring prices down.
asserted
he → lead → prices
But the owner of Aleph Meats is facing an uphill battle.
asserted
owner → face → battle
Trying to get a foothold in the marketplace is now leading to a potential legal showdown at the federal Competition Tribunal.
asserted
Trying → try → Tribunal
Boyarsky alleges the Jewish Community Council of Montreal (JCC), which operates Montreal Kosher, known as MK Kosher certification, has used its dominant position in the market to squeeze out competition among meat suppliers — like himself — and pressure local congregations to buy only MK approved kosher products.
asserted
which → allege → products
The JCC oversees many aspects of life in Montreal’s devout Jewish community including the certification of kosher meat through its non-profit MK Kosher.
asserted
JCC → oversee → Kosher
The JCC denies Boyarsky's allegations.
asserted
JCC → deny → allegations
But Boyarsky thinks the certifier is driving up the cost of food.
asserted
certifier → think → food
“They don't allow competition in the market.
asserted
They → allow → market
So they're able to charge exorbitant prices,” he said.
asserted
he → charge → prices
“There hasn't been another option other than the MK in Montreal for who knows how long,” he says, as he proudly shows off the different cuts of certified kosher meat at Aleph Meats, located in the city of Côte Saint-Luc, in Montreal's west end.
asserted
he → know → end
Boyarsky alleges his attempts to break into the commercial side of Montreal’s kosher meat industry are being blocked by the JCC and he can't sell to most synagogues or banquet spaces, for example, because they are exclusively dealing with MK Kosher.
He chose to operate outside of MK Kosher’s certification system and to use a different kosher meat certifier — Kashrut Supervision du Rabbinat (KSR).
asserted
He → allege → certifier
“We have to be able to sell it to the synagogues, we have to be able to sell anywhere we want to be able to sell to,” he says.
asserted
he → have → synagogues
Without access, even if the retail side of his business goes well, he says he won’t be able to scale his business and survive.
asserted
he → go → business
“We have to do it on mass production in order for this thing to work," he said.
asserted
he → have → order
"We’re kosher certified and we need to have all the gates open for us.
asserted
gates → certify → us
"
If successful, Boyarsky’s lawsuit could force the JCC to pay millions in damages.
uncertain
lawsuit → force → damages
A case that could test the new limits of Canada’s Competition Tribunal
Having a case heard at Canada's Competition Tribunal can be difficult, but Boyarsky’s lawyer says the timing may be right to challenge the JCC’s alleged market dominance.
uncertain
timing → test → dominance
“There's been a groundswell of support from the Montreal Jewish community that wants to see this case brought to the Competition Tribunal,” said Joshua Krane, a competition law specialist and partner at MLT Aikins in Ottawa.
asserted
Krane → be → Ottawa
In response to the rising cost of living and skyrocketing grocery bills, Bill C-56 and Bill C-59, were passed by Parliament in December 2023 and June 2024 — overhauling Canada's Competition Act and expanding private access to the Competition Tribunal.
asserted
, → rise → Tribunal
Krane says the tribunal now has the option to consider a case based on public interest grounds.
asserted
tribunal → say → grounds
Federal Court Judge Jocelyne Gagné will decide whether Boyarsky’s lawsuit has merit and will be heard by the tribunal.
asserted
lawsuit → decide → tribunal
In an affidavit, the JCC denies its certifier enforces any exclusivity agreements with the exception of banquet halls.
asserted
certifier → deny → halls
In those cases, the JCC argues it’s not practical for synagogues to make sure a kitchen is kosher to MK Kosher’s standards every time a different certifier is used.
asserted
certifier → argue → standards
It added that it does not agree with KSR about what constitutes proper kosher standards.
asserted
what → add → standards
Rabbi Haim Nataf, who was authorized to speak on behalf of the JCC and MK Kosher, told CBC Boyarsky’s lawsuit is founded on “misconceptions” regarding Montreal’s kosher market.
asserted
lawsuit → authorize → market
Nataf said it is a mistake for Boyarsky, a meat seller, to claim he’s in competition with a certifier that doesn’t sell kosher products.
uncertain
that → say → products
He denies that MK Kosher has the capacity to influence pricing.
asserted
Kosher → deny → pricing
The term kosher translates to "fit to eat,” and what qualifies comes down to standards set by Jewish community leaders and their interpretation of ancient texts and traditions.
asserted
qualifies → translate → texts
“(Keeping kosher) is one of the definitive characteristics of an observant Jewish home,” says Rabbi Reuben Poupko of the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation, who is not taking sides in the dispute.
asserted
who → keep → dispute
In general, Poupko says the method of slaughtering the animal is more humane and pain free.
asserted
method → say → animal
Every step of the process is carefully monitored with inspections.
asserted
step → monitor → inspections
But “keeping kosher” comes at a cost.
asserted
keeping → keep → cost
“I've never heard anyone complain it was too inexpensive,” Poupko says.
asserted
Poupko → hear → ?
Rabbi Haim Nataf, spokesperson for the JCC and MK Kosher, says setting kosher standards is a religious issue.
asserted
setting → say → standards
He says as a certifier, MK Kosher doesn’t have the ability to set prices.
asserted
Kosher → say → prices
Nataf told CBC at MK Kosher, the JCC has full-time employees to ensure its strict religious standards are observed throughout the process.
asserted
standards → tell → process
This includes drop-in inspections at restaurants and synagogues and 24/7 video surveillance in their prep spaces and kitchens.
asserted
This → include → spaces
MK Kosher is paid a one-time fee for some services, such as attending a slaughter, and recurring fees for others, like maintaining an MK Kosher certificate for restaurants and synagogues.
asserted
Kosher → pay → restaurants
Nataf rejected the suggestion that MK Kosher brings in a big profit.
asserted
Kosher → reject → profit
…and 41 more, not listed.
The Aporia
