Caldwell First Nation celebrates opening of new gas bar and convenience store

Caldwell First Nation opens gas bar The new gas bar and convenience store represents a significant and historic milestone for the Caldwell First Nation. Chris Campbell reports.

With 16 pumps, the Caldwell First Nation Gas Bar is now one of the largest gas stations in Southwestern Ontario.

Since opening April 1, a steady flow of customers have been filling up, taking advantage of a lower fuel price just outside of Leamington.

“Gas I think it's like 10,12 cents higher. It's worth the trip,” said customer Lisa Prieur who drove from Amherstburg.

The new venture not only means more affordable fuel, but it also represents the beginning of economic sustainability for the First Nation community that only just received status in 2020.

“We view this as economic reconciliation. As you know Caldwell First Nation was forced from their lands, which is Point Pelee and Pelee Island traditionally,” said Chief Mary Duckworth.

She says the journey, from being landless and unrecognized 10 years ago, to now planning future housing developments and other community ventures is rewarding.

And the variety store and gas station is just the beginning of greater things to come.

"This is a business so it runs like a business of course. There's no free gas here. And it's not cheap gas. It's real gas," Duckworth said. "The only difference is it’s sold on a First Nation and the taxation is different. I'm sure that people look at the prices, but it is the exact same fuel that is going to Sunoco and all the other gas stations. The difference is because it's on a First Nation, we've removed part of the taxation to be able to sell to our fuel to anybody.”

The official grand opening will take place on County Road 20, just east of Point Pelee Saturday morning.

Duckworth said she will be joined by the Assembly of First Nations National Chief RoseAnne Archibald and Grand Chief of the Association of Iroquois and Allied First Nations Joel Abram to make speeches Saturday morning.

“It's exciting for us,” Duckworth exclaimed. “Caldwell First Nation has had lands here for about 10 years and we've actually been a reserve since November 2020. So we were able to start to do our infrastructure planning, our capital planning and part of the capital plan was to be able to put the gas station and move to housing and also move to administrative buildings. So it's really exciting times for us.”

Duckworth explained this is Caldwell’s first capital build project and said she considers the opening of the gas station and variety store an incredible accomplishment, noting the Caldwell marina is also scheduled to open May 1.

“You're going to be able to dock your boat there and rent kayaks,” she said. “You're also going to be able to go for a nature walk over a boulevard that we've built over the marsh. It's all protected lands. So it's very, very exciting.”

“Caldwell also has vineyards so we're growing grapes. And we also have created orchards so that we're going to be able to have harvest tables for our community and products to be able to sell at market.”