The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The conversion of Creighton Super Stop into an urban reserve should help bolster the local economy, the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce heard Tuesday. Trevor Ives, head of the First Nations company that owns the store, said the pending reserve will exempt treaty aboriginals from consumer taxes, giving them more money to spend at other businesses. "It increases the cash available to that customer," he told 14 chamber members gathered at the Friendship Centre Restaurant. Ives, CEO of Peter Ballantyne Developments (PBD), the business arm of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, was invited by the chamber to outline the company's expansion into Creighton. Once Creighton Super Stop is converted into reserve land Ð a process expected to take several more months Ð treaty customers will not pay any tax on their purchases. This is expected to be a particularly big draw for motorists fueling up, as they will save 11 cents on every litre of gas, exempted from the 15-cent-per-litre Saskatchewan fuel tax. The remaining four cents from every litre will be funneled into the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation to be spent as the band council sees fit. Ives said the company sees a solid opportunity to restart restaurant operations within Creighton Super Stop, formerly home of Mean Gene's Burgers and Hot Stuff Pizza, but no firm plans are in place yet. "...we think there's an opportunity, but what that's going to look like, we don't know," said Ives, who is based in Prince Albert. While PBD purchased Creighton Super Stop on March 1, the process of turning the property into reserve land is ongoing. Ives is hoping to see the conversion conclude by late fall but acknowledged there are no guarantees on the timeline. "It's a federal process that we don't control," he said, adding that such matters can sit idle for long periods of time. Ives pointed out that PBD has a servicing agreement with the Town of Creighton that ensures Creighton Super Stop pays the same fees to the municipality as do other businesses. The agreement also requires the business to comply with town bylaws. The Creighton purchase made sense, Ives said, because of its profit potential and its proximity to Peter Ballantyne reserves. Negotiations on the purchase of the gas station from Cone Enterprises, owned by Don Kennedy, began in February 2009, he noted. In addition to tax exemptions for treaty aboriginals, Ives said any Creighton Super Stop employees with treaty status will not have to pay personal income taxes. But since gas station wages are low and employees do not pay much income tax to begin with, he does not expect this to free up much economy-bolstering disposable income. See 'Track' on pg. Continued from pg. PBD has a strong track record on running gas stations on urban reserves. Ives referred to the company's station in Prince Albert, noting that it has become Saskatchewan's busiest fuel retailer while creating 24 full-time jobs for aboriginals. The company operated a second gas station in P.A. in late 2007 and early 2008, but that facility will now be rebuilt due to contamination. PBD owns or partially owns 16 different businesses, including hotels and a pharmacy. Its proportionate share of annual sales will exceed $32 million. Ives acknowledged that some First Nations people question the need for their band to buy businesses when so many members live in substandard conditions. His response is that successful business ventures generate new revenue, giving the band additional resources to make improvements. Just as the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation is limited to Saskatchewan, PBD has yet to expand beyond the province. Asked whether neighbouring Manitoba is in PBD's future, Ives said there are no plans yet since "you walk before you run." "Measured growth and balance is kind of what we preach," he said, adding that the company has grown significantly in the past year and wants to make sure it is keeping up. Asked if there was any truth to the rumour that PBD was looking to purchase the old Creighton Bingo Palace, Ives said his office hasn't looked at that and he has not heard anything about it. PBD is wholly owned by Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, which consists of eight Saskatchewan First Nations communities, including Amisk Lake, Pelican Narrows and Sandy Bay. Collectively there are over 9,000 band members.
