The heart of convenience: Why independent stores matter more than ever 

As independents face mounting pressures, the entire convenience industry must unite to celebrate, support and strengthen the retailers that keep Canada’s communities connected.

Across Canada, approximately 22,000 convenience stores serve as essential lifelines—fuelling commutes, feeding families, and anchoring small communities from coast to coast to coast. More than half—58%—are independently owned, operated by entrepreneurs who know their customers by name, sponsor local teams and keep rural and remote communities supplied with everyday essentials.

Yet, these local businesses are under increasing strain. The last time Canada’s convenience industry saw growth in total store count was 2016. Since then, the country has lost nearly one in five convenience locations—a 20% decline nationwide. The toll has been felt most acutely in smaller towns, which account for one-third of all closures.

The year-over-year trend is beginning to stabilize

—2.5% fewer stores in 2023 than in 2022—but the underlying story is one of steady attrition. Newfoundland and Labrador recorded the sharpest drop, losing 7% of its total stores in a single year.

Behind these numbers lies a critical truth: when an independent store closes, it’s not just a business that disappears—it’s a vital service hub, an employer, a neighbour and a community connector.

The rural reality

The majority of Canada’s convenience stores—61%—operate in rural and urban areas outside large metropolitan centres. In Atlantic Canada, for instance, the region’s small population (just 6% of Canada’s total) supports 11% of the country’s convenience stores, with 90% of those located in rural or smaller urban communities.

But that balance is shifting. In Ontario, for example, one-quarter of rural stores have closed, even as store numbers in more populated areas rose by 29%. Each rural closure represents a widening gap in access to goods and services that urban customers take for granted.

The independent squeeze

Independent operators—who make up the majority of Canada’s c-store landscape—are the hardest hit. In 2023 alone, 680 independents closed their doors, a loss of almost two stores every day. 

In 2021, independents represented 64% of all c-stores; today, that share has slipped to 58%. That shift carries serious implications. Independents are disproportionately present in rural and remote communities. When these independents shutter, they’re often not replaced—leaving residents to travel long distances for basic items such as milk, bread or fuel.

A call to champion independents

The convenience industry has always been about accessibility, service and community. Independents embody those values. They are the innovators who test new products, the early adopters of local brands, and the employers who give young people their first jobs.

Supporting independents isn’t just good business—it’s essential for the health and vitality of communities across the country. The entire industry—manufacturers, distributors, fuel brands, technology providers and associations—has a shared responsibility to champion, empower and celebrate these retailers.

That means investing in tailored programs, offering operational support, sharing best practices and promoting success stories that inspire others to follow. It means recognizing that the strength of the convenience industry lies in its diversity—from national chains to the single-store operators who open their doors every morning knowing their work keeps their communities running.

Because when independents thrive, Canada’s convenience industry thrives.