Justin Tang/CANADIAN PRESS Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna speaks to reporters at a press conference in Ottawa on March 4, 2019.

The federal Liberal government is taking criticism online after announcing it's giving retailer Loblaw Co. $12 million under a clean energy program. Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna announced on Monday that Loblaw would receive the money on top of its own $36-million contribution to upgrade the refrigeration units at 370 Loblaw-owned stores across the country.

The government estimates the changes will reduce carbon emissions from those stores by 23 per cent. "By investing in these projects, from coast to coast to coast, the Government of Canada is making sure we are positioned to succeed in the $26-trillion global market for clean solutions and to create good middle class jobs today and for the future," McKenna said in a statement. But many critics online questioned why Loblaw Co., which turned a profit of $754 million in the 2018 fiscal year, would need federal help to pay for equipment upgrades. The controversy spurred a hashtag, #LoblawsGiveItBack.

They "never" seem to have the money to fund education, healthcare, homelessness or citizens in poverty, but somehow can always find the money to fund big corps like Loblaws. This is the same Loblaws that has engaged in illegal price-fixing, and scammed $400 million in tax fraud https://t.co/0BmqKMsadm — Joyeux Hendrickson (@JoyeuxH) April 9, 2019

That's $12M that could be given to the province of #Ontario to help #autistic children and adults get much needed therapy to better help them live with #Autism. #Loblaws doesn't need the money. #LoblawsGiveItBack#cdnpoli — Cory Chaulk (@Cory_E_Chaulk) April 9, 2019

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh pointed out in a tweet that Loblaw Co. shareholders recently rejected a proposal to pay workers a living wage, after company executives campaigned against the proposal. The company has also vocally opposed minimum wage hikes.

$12 million to a company making billions in profits & whose shareholders rejected a living wage for their employees. Instead of prioritizing handouts to rich corporations, how about we make life more affordable for people trying to retrofit their home to be more enviro-friendly? https://t.co/ABatuIHpiq — Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) April 8, 2019

The company revealed in 2017 that it was part of a multi-year conspiracy to fix the price of bread along with numerous other food retailers in Canada.