7-Eleven stores seen with permanently closed signs in Winnipeg

After concerns were raised in the summer, it appears some 7-Eleven stores in Winnipeg may be shutting down because of crime.

It appears stores at 815 Ellice Ave., 665 McPhillips St., 1007 McPhillips St., and 1103 Pembina Highway are getting ready to close down.

Staff from the locations confirmed the closures. CTV News was also told the Ellice and two McPhillips stores are shuttering because of theft. The reasons behind the Pembina store are unclear.

At some of the stores, there are signs that read “permanently closed” on them. At all four, store shelves are empty or the shelves themselves have already been pulled down.

CTV reached out to 7-Eleven for comment but did not hear back.

This comes after two city councillors, Ross Eadie and Vivan Santos, said 7-Eleven officials told them in the summer that 10 stores were at risk of closing due to financial losses spurred by crime.

Two of the four stores are from that list of 10.

"7-Eleven is basically saying we can't afford to lose this much money," said Eadie.

Eadie called this a big loss for the impacted communities.

"It's one thing to say (buy a) Slurpee, but a lot of people buy milk and eggs when they go, and bread when they're going to a 7-Eleven right. It's a certain time of night, where else are you going to go?"

The province has been paying the overtime costs for Winnipeg police to target retail theft hot spots. That program runs until the end of the month. The premier has left the door open for the initiative to continue.

"We'll make that decision together about what the best next step is, but yeah, we're actively looking at it," said Premier Wab Kinew Friday.

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham said the program is working.

"This retail crime initiative is making a difference,” said Gillingham Friday. “I'd like to see it extended and we're talking to the province about how we can do that."