Two Co-op gas stations in Saskatoon temporarily closed due to fuel shortage

The Co-op refinery lockout in Regina has forced two Saskatoon gas stations to temporarily close.

Co-op’s Centre Mall and 22nd Street locations are closed due to the fuel shortage.

Signs have been put up in front of both locations to direct people away. Other signs have been posted on the pumps that read: “We are temporarily out of fuel. Due to Unifor’s illegal blockades at the Co-op Refinery Complex our fuel supply has been limited.”

On Friday morning, police in Regina allowed trucks to leave the refinery with fuel that will be allocated and delivered to Co-op locations across Western Canada.

“The fuel that is coming out of the refinery is going to go to a number of retail Co-ops. We’ll be allocated a certain amount depending on a formula,” said Jade Gulash, the communications manager for the Saskatoon Co-operative Association.

“We are prioritizing and (Federated Co-operatives Limited) is prioritizing that any Co-op gas bars that are in communities where it might be the only or one of very few sources of fuel, those will be prioritized. So those sites will get fuel first.”

Gulash said it’s unknown how much fuel will be allocated to Saskatoon locations so it is difficult to say when the two closed locations will be up and running again.

“It’s likely that because those locations are closed now that they will probably remain closed until we know that we are going to continue a regular flow of fuel,” Gulash said about the lower-priority locations.

Saskatoon’s top priority gas stations are the Stonebridge, Blairmore, 51st Street and Ludlow Street locations. Those four locations and the Warman location will be the first to receive fuel when it gets to the city.