Red River Co-op snaps up Husky gas stations

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This article was published 02/09/2022 (1156 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Say goodbye to your local Husky.

Red River Co-op has purchased nine of the Winnipeg gas bars, plus three in Kenora and one in Dryden. Brand transitioning will begin next year.

“Co-op members will be able to enjoy the added convenience of more locations,” Doug Wiebe, Red River Co-op’s CEO, wrote in an email.

The hubs undergoing the change include the following: 1656 Main St., 1701 Plessis Rd., 885 Waverley St., 1025 St. Mary’s Rd., 1011 Marion St., 705 Osborne St., 1567 Arlington St. and 1844 Portage Ave.

In Kenora, 470 Lakeview Dr., 1401 Hwy 17 E and 8 Chipman St. will be converted. Dryden’s Husky at 246 Government St. will also transform.

The order of conversions is yet to be determined, as is the official start date, said Wiebe.

Husky members can still use their points at Husky-branded sites. Husky gift cards are accepted but can no longer be bought.

Red River Co-op members won’t be able to use their numbers at Husky-branded gas bars.

The acquisition is part of parent company Federated Co-operatives Ltd.’s purchase of 171 Husky retail fuel stations. It announced its $264-million deal with Cenovus Energy, which previously owned the Husky sites, last November.

The deal is expected to close Sept. 13, according to Andrew Swenson, FCL’s communications manager. The Canadian Competition Bureau approved the acquisition in August.

Red River Co-op’s share will bring its total number of gas bars to 49, once its latest on Lagimodiere at Cottonwood opens and the Husky acquisition finalizes.

Across Manitoba, the co-operative will own 43 fuel sites.

“We understand that there is limited longevity related to carbon fuels,” Wiebe wrote.

Last year, Ottawa announced a ban on the sale of fuel-burning new cars and light-duty trucks as of 2035.

“There will be gas and diesel powered vehicles on the roads for a number of years yet,” Wiebe wrote. “We want to continue to be in a position to service those vehicles and the needs of our more than 320,000 members.”

Red River Co-op has been investing in alternative energy forms, Wiebe noted. It has a Tesla charging station in Dryden and four universal electric vehicle charging ports in Winnipeg.

Federated Co-operatives Ltd. has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to 40 per cent below 2015 levels by 2030, Swenson wrote in a statement.

“Expanding Co-op’s network of retail gas bars puts FCL in a position to move forward with initiatives that will help FCL take a leadership role in the transition to a low-carbon economy,” he wrote.

Some of the acquired Husky sites come with car washes and convenience stores.

Red River Co-op has nine food stores and two standalone pharmacies, Wiebe said. It entered the industry in 2014.

The co-operative will continue looking for chances to diversify its business, Wiebe said.

gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com