Caledonia has been left scrambling after its only gas station closed a month ago.
Concerns have been raised over what will happen to locals, tourists, and businesses.
Gil Johnson, councillor for the area, says the longer there is no service, the less likely a business will open one.
“The more the businesses fragment and go out and do their own thing, the less stable a business case there is for someone to go out on a limb and open up a full service.”
Johnson says if someone decides to open a new station, it will need community buy in but the gas station will also need to have reliable, reasonable hours.
If the community goes without a gas station, he says a decision will still have to be made on signage for tourists so they’re aware of when they will need to fill up.
Highway 8 passes through Caledonia and intersects the province, leading to Kejimkujik National Park and ending in Annapolis Royal.
The nearest gas station is in Greenfield, 20 minutes away, while the next closest is on Highway 8 in Milton, a 30 minute drive from Caledonia.
Johnson says it’s also a concern for residents, particularly seniors, who don’t often leave the community but still need gas to do their in-town driving.
Meanwhile Laura Lee Johnson, president of the North Queens Board of Trade, says several people are considering opening up a station or possibly adding one to an existing business.
The board is holding a community meeting on the topic.
“Our meeting … Monday evening is to source out ways of coping with our situation, it’s not to bash anyone, it’s not negative in anyway,” she says.
Laura Lee Johnson says the meeting isn’t about supporting one particular business or another but rather to discuss what the community needs.
The meeting is 7 p.m. Monday night at the North Queens Fire Hall.
Story by Brittany Wentzell
Twitter: @BrittWentzell
Email: wentzell.brittany@radioabl.ca