Gen7 Fuel, an Indigenous owned gas station chain, has made the Okanagan its foothold as it expands into B.C. with its second and third stations and an office in 麻豆精选.
The first station opened up in Penticton in partnership with the Penticton Indian Band in 2024, after the former tenants were forced out. Together with the new stations and in partnership with the Osoyoos Indian Band, all three celebrated their official grand openings on Wednesday, April 23, with gas sales.
Vehicles in Penticton lined up through the parking lot and back across the bridge over the River Channel waiting to get into the expanded and upgraded gas station, the original pumps and layout completely replaced.
"Over 35 years ago, I had a dream and I opened up a gas station, a small one here," former Penticton chief Adam Eneas said. "We're very proud and privileged to be in partnership with Gen7, from back east, an all-Indian company, because it shows how trade and commerce goes from a tribe to tribe, and intertribal right across Canada."
All three stations are locally owned and operated, with Gen7 Fuel providing training, capital, marketing, operational support, and fuel management services.
The company is based out of Ontario, where it has five stations, and it plans to open additional stations in B.C. this year.
"This is what First Nations entrepreneurship is all about and we look forward to building on the relationship that you brought into the community," Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel said. "It goes to show that First Nations do take pride in their sovereignty and when you work together we can accomplish great things."
The grand opening and $1-per-litre fuel sale in Penticton came after the grand openings and similar sales in Osoyoos and Oliver.
鈥淲e always take pride in seeing our brothers and sisters succeed in business," Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie said. 鈥淕en7 Fuel is a perfect example of that success. Their values, track record, and commitment to Indigenous partnership align closely with OIB鈥檚 vision for long-term prosperity.鈥�
While the reduced price sale may have only been for limited time, one of the pitches for supporting Gen7 Fuel is that they aim to offer lower prices than other stations by reducing administrative costs that would otherwise be passed onto customers, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous.
鈥淥ne of the biggest improvements, and something we鈥檙e most proud of, is that under this new direction, we can now offer our members their full tax exemption on all fuel purchases," Louie explained. "It鈥檚 a right they deserve, and we鈥檙e proud to deliver on it.鈥�
Gen7 Fuel said in a press release that they hope to expand further into B.C. with additional First Nations as partners.
"We hope beacons like this flagship store, which again has all the sovereign components to it, we want other bands to see this," said Landon Miller, Gen7 Fuel's vice-president. "One of the principles that we use is of our original treaties that we signed amongst ourselves, not with the settlers or the English but with ourselves. It was, 'One bowl, one spoon,' which means we all share and we all eat and it has to be that way and that's the way we run our model."
