Winnipeg's 1st urban reserve gas station officially opens

Motorists can now fill their tanks at Winnipeg's first urban reserve gas station, which officially opened in the Polo Park area on Monday.

The Long Plain First Nation and Arrowhead Development Corp. opened the Petro-Canada gas station and convenience store at 490 Madison St., near Century Street.

The station is on former Manitoba Hydro land that the First Nation has purchased.

"We're hoping to eventually acquire this whole block for the future, so that's the game plan for Long Plain First Nation here," said Long Plain Chief Dennis Meeches.

Meeches said the First Nation has purchased more property on Madison as part of what it calls a "very aggressive urban reserve strategy."

"We believe that these urban reserves will provide a strong revenue stream for our First Nation, pushing money back into the reserve, the main reserve," he said.

The Long Plain First Nation's main reserve is located near Portage la Prairie, Man.

The new gas station will allow aboriginals with treaty status to buy tobacco products and gas exempt from the provincial sales tax, Meeches said.