West Kildonan 7-Eleven latest to close in city; crime the issue, area councillor says By: Scott Billeck Posted: 5:27 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 27, 2026 Last Modified: 6:52 PM CDT Monday, Apr. 27, 2026 Updates

Crime is again being blamed as another Winnipeg 7-Eleven convenience store has been shut down, adding to a growing list of closures across the city.

Mynarski Coun. Ross Eadie said Monday the store at 1871 Main St. will be closed permanently, attributing the decision to ongoing crime in the area.

Although signs posted indicated the store in West Kildonan would be closed Tuesday, the doors were already locked Monday. Merchandise had been cleared out and contractors were busy inside removing shelving and equipment.

The signs directed customers to locations further south on Main, or across the Red River on Henderson Highway.

“You get riff-raff hanging around 7-Eleven, and retail theft is really bad everywhere,” Eadie said.

He noted another 7-Eleven in his ward — 1370 Main St., at Bannerman Avenue — is still open, despite being “one of the worst in the city.”

“It’s hard to stay in business when all of this stuff is happening,” Eadie said.

“You get riff-raff hanging around 7-Eleven, and retail theft is really bad everywhere.”

He said the city and the province have thrown money at the issue, trying to curb the crime. In December, the province announced a $10-million Business Security Rebate Program to help businesses offset the costs of vandalism repairs and security upgrades.

As of early March, some 900 businesses had applied for rebates of up to $2,500 per location.

Still, he said he worries that retail closures will simply push crime onto other neighbourhood businesses.

He pointed to the 2024 closure of a Giant Tiger store at 1441 Main, after which theft shifted a bit further north to Tenderloin Meats and Sausages.

In February 2025, the store told the Free Press it had been broken into several times over the previous five months.

“I don’t know what you do about it,” Eadie said. “It’s desperate. You’ve got a lot of desperate people. And with these places closing, where’s somebody going to get their quart of milk or whatever?”

On Monday, a contractor at the Main Street site, who asked not to be named, said the closure fits a pattern seen across the city.

The worker has been involved in shutting down several other 7-Eleven locations, many of which were tied to crime issues, and described being attacked at one closed store, where a group of youths tried to force their way inside.

“You’ve got a lot of desperate people. And with these places closing, where’s somebody going to get their quart of milk.”

The north Main Street 7-Eleven is the latest of more than a half-dozen to close in the city since August 2024, when the company warned city councillors that as many as 10 stores could be at risk because of crime.

At least six had closed by early 2025, including locations on Ellice Avenue, Pembina Highway and McPhillips Street, though the company has not publicly confirmed the reasons behind each shutdown.

The company did not respond to a request for comment on Monday.

Last month, Mayor Scott Gillingham said after meeting with company officials that 7-Eleven was considering expanding in Winnipeg.

“We all know that Winnipeg takes pride in being the Slurpee capital of the world. Well, I spent some time with the 7-Eleven Canada folks last week and they’re looking to expand their brand in Manitoba, including several new franchise locations right here in Winnipeg,” Gillingham said during his state of the city address on March 5.

On Monday, his office said there have been no updates on those plans, noting that large chains routinely open, close or relocate stores based on market conditions or lease agreements.

Earlier this month, 7-Eleven announced it would be closing 645 locations across North America this year, far outpacing the 205 it plans to open during the same timeframe.

Loren Remillard, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said he hopes news of businesses closing serves as a wake-up call for communities to better support local shops.

“This is in our collective interest to make sure that we don’t have any more of these kinds of stories,” he said. “Imagine if all the businesses left the Exchange, or Osborne Village or Corydon Avenue, how different those communities would be.”

Remillard said small, locally owned businesses often act as the foundation of neighbourhoods, connecting residents to services and helping keep communities active and vibrant. Take them away, and crime is able to move in and take root.

He added that frustration shouldn’t be directed at companies trying to stay afloat, only to be forced into tough decisions — whether for economic or safety reasons.

scott.billeck@freepress.mb.ca