DORION— The Canyon Country Co-op in Dorion is now open.
Brigitte Tremblay, general manager for Canyon Country Co-op, said the official opening on Oct. 20 represented an exciting milestone for the community, visitors and travellers.
The gas station will play an important role for the community and region, she said, because of economic decline and the closure of previous stores and gas stations in Dorion.
“Residents were forced to trek to either Thunder Bay or Nipigon for essentials. Now we offer, essentials, gifts, apparel, fishing and hunting supplies, fresh fruits and vegetables in the summer, propane and a home for local artists,” Tremblay said.
Tremblay said the project has been in the works for a while and started to go into full-swing in September 2021. She worked on the business plan, funding, putting together a crew in order to see this project become a reality.
But it wasn’t an easy journey.
“For the past year, I must admit, we had many hurdles: funding, negotiations, finding the right company to carry our project, the TSSA strike, the lack of equipment and raw materials available in the region, permit after permit, delays, steel prices rising, and of course, the unforeseen problems that seem to lurked in every corner,” Tremblay said.
According to Tremblay, funding for this project came from the Superior North Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).
“Ironically, CFDC is the reason that the Canyon Country exists today," Tremblay said. "They offered funding, back in 2018 when it first opened. It is only right that they would follow us in this venture."
Residents can also access an LCBO and OLG outlet and three other independent businesses have opened as well on the grounds, which include an ice cream shop, a chip stand, and, just recently, a small bistro which opened inside the Co-op.
“For a small town with 340 residents, we have more than 550 members and counting,” Tremblay said.
The ribbon cutting drew many local and regional leaders, including Dorion Reeve Robert Beatty and Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois.
Tremblay acknowledged the contribution of a business that offered a helping hand, when TerraNorth stepped up the day the gas tank arrived and they did not have the equipment needed to lift it.
"I reached out to the construction manager at TerraNorth who at the time was working in the proximity," she said. "They immediately sent equipment and within 15 minutes, it was done. I don’t know what I would have done without their help. I knew nothing about setting up a gas station. None of us knew."
