From left: Sturgeon Lake Developments Ltd. CEO April Roberts-Poitras, Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne, Sturgeon Lake First Nation Chief Greg Ermine, Lake Country Co-op CEO Tim Keller. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

New development

Sturgeon Lake First Nation announces new fuel and convenience store in P.A.

Apr 21, 2021 | 5:07 PM

A new First Nation-owned gas station and convenience store, complete with a Chester Fried Chicken drive-thru, is coming to the Cornerstone area of Prince Albert. Sturgeon Lake First Nation made the announcement at the future location of TIPI Fuel & Convenience on Wednesday.

Opening this summer, it’s expected to employ upwards of a dozen people.

Sturgeon Lake First Nation is currently in the final stages of converting the larger property the fuel station sits on to urban reserve status. The hope is the process will be complete in time for opening.

“We’re really excited for the City of P.A.,” Sturgeon Lake First Nation Chief Greg Ermine told reporters at a ribbon cutting on Wednesday. “But we’re also more importantly excited for our First Nation, what it does for us as far as promoting that sense of community pride.”

The new business is located at 1499 10th Avenue East, at the eastern end of the Cornerstone Shopping District.

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A mock-up of the fuel and convenience store currently under construction at Cornerstone. (Submitted photo/Sturgeon Lake Developments Ltd.)

The new venture is a partnership with Lake Country Co-op and Federated Co-operatives Ltd.’s new brand, Western Nations, which supports and supplies First Nation-owned fuel stations.

Ermine explained through collaboration with Western Nations, they were able to embed Sturgeon Lake First Nation traditions and values in the design of the fuel station.

“The values that we hold, in terms of the design, it was really important we incorporate that in some way, so the tipi theme was sort of a no brainer,” Ermine said, adding other First Nation elements will be part of the building’s architecture and interior design.

Sturgeon Lake First Nation Chief Greg Ermine speaks at a media event at the future location of TIPI Fuel & Convenience Store. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

Noting that TIPI Fuel & Convenience isn’t Sturgeon Lake First Nation’s first business venture in Prince Albert, Ermine said the nation is also looking at potential further investment opportunities in the city.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he said.

Sturgeon Lake Developments Ltd. CEO April Roberts-Poitras echoed that sentiment.

“For us, this is a huge opportunity. It’s not only employment, but it creates our space in the marketplace in Prince Albert, so our ability to give back to the community,” she told paNOW.

Lake Country Co-op CEO Tim Keller said that focus on the collective is part of what makes his business and Sturgeon Lake First Nation great partners.

“We have very like-minded values in developing community,” Keller said. “And we think it’s a fantastic partnership to work alongside them.”

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alison.sandstrom@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @alisandstrom