Tax-Exempt Gasoline, Diesel, and Tobacco Sales at Two Nations One Stop

        The Addition-to-Reserve (ATR) request for Two Nations One Stop (TNOS) was approved this week by the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous Services Canada. The result is the Two Nations One Stop is now located on communal lands, allowing tax-exempt sales of gasoline and diesel fuel and goods to all status Indigenous peoples. Members will now be able to receive the same fuel pricing at this location as the Cliffe Street location, as well as tax-exempt diesel. Tax-exempt and quota tobacco sales will be available later this week, following a point-of-sale system upgrade being deployed by St. Mary’s Retail Sales.

Tobacco products will also be available on quota, with quota sales being shared between the St. Mary’s Smoke Shop and the One Stop once their systems are fully integrated later this week. Simultaneously, the system for quota management will be improved, moving away from a daily two-pack and weekly one-carton quota to a system which for the purchase of up a total of 550 grams per week, equal to 22 packs, equal to the previous daily and weekly quotas combined. This new structure is designed to offer flexibility for members who may be traveling or do not wish to make multiple trips to purchase their weekly quotas. Quota will continue to reset on Mondays, and unused quota will not be carried over into the next week.

The ATR process requires collaboration between a First Nation’s governance, provincial agencies, and Indigenous Services Canada to legally add to a community’s designated lands. This property was originally purchased and designated for communal use in 2018, with the initial request for an ATR being made shortly after construction began in December of that year. During the ATR process, TNOS operated as a band-owned enterprise located off reserve.

This ATR has been a multi-year process involving band administration, elected leadership, and external partners. Band Administration would like to thank the community, elected officials, and Sitansisk’s Director of Lands for their continued efforts to progress this file. There have been less than five ATR requests approved by ISC and the office of Crown-Indigenous Relations in the Atlantic region this year, with over 1,300 remaining in the queue for approval according to the Assembly of First Nations.

Representatives from Sitansisk met with Crown-Indigenous Relations representatives on several occasions to discuss this ATR and to accelerate the process. On September 11, 2021, Sakom Polchies was joined by the Director of Lands, Julia Kennedy-Francis, and available council members to meet in-person with Minister Miller in the community. They were able to provide a visit to the Two Nations One Stop, as well as a tour of the community and its other facilities.

Sitansisk Band Administration, St. Mary’s Retail Sales, and Sitansisk’s elected officials would like to thank the community for its support and patience on advancing this file. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact a member of Chief and Council via email (listed on the community’s website) or by calling the band office.