The owners of the 7-Eleven that was set on fire last summer are planning to demolish the building. (Image Credit: Susan McNeil/paNOW Staff)

By Susan McNeil

Development

New construction incentive, future of 7-Eleven site discussed during council meeting  

Mar 17, 2026 | 2:45 PM

A commercial building at one of the busiest intersections in Prince Albert will be demolished, city council heard yesterday.  

The 7-Eleven was damaged by an arsonist last year and has been closed ever since.  

Coun. Blake Edwards asked during the last meeting what the owner planned to do with the property after the signs and gas pumps were removed.  

City staff said that a compliance order has been issued to the property owners.  

“Our Bylaw Enforcement Division currently has an active file on this property and have issued a Compliance Order to the property owners. We have been in contact with the owners and have been advised that they plan to demolish the building in the spring, once the ground has thawed,” wrote the Acting Director of Community Development, Michael Nelson. 

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The landowner is listed as Suncor Energy Inc.  

Other concerns were raised about leaving the lot empty for an extended time.  

“How are we assuring that this property is not going to look like the property – the old gas station, I think it was another 7-Eleven, Second Avenue and 28th – that’s one of the biggest eyesores in our community,” Edwards asked.  

The landowner will be required to remove all concrete and debris from the location and restore it to a pre-development condition, Nelson responded.  

The company has not released any plans for the future of the lot.  

Construction incentives  

Following a string of questions from businesses in the city who want to take advantage of a new development incentive, the policy has been re-visited.  

The incentives apply to residential builds that are five units or more and commercial properties. The abatement can only apply to the developer, planning department staff said. 

“The transfer of the abatement would not be transferable to new owners. It would be to the developer that is doing the investment into the city,” Nelson said.  

Another question arose about how the policy would apply when multiple buildings are constructed on one title. While some of the buildings might meet the policy, others would not.  

The abatement applies to buildings and not the land and not to already constructed buildings.  

There is no fiscal impact on the city on incentive programs because they apply to buildings that do not exist yet. 

A new program for existing properties could be on the horizon, however.  

“Administration will be bringing forward a proposed new renovation and addition incentive in one of the upcoming meetings here,” Nelson said. 

Administration has been meeting with existing businesses to discuss how a policy would best work.