7-Eleven’s application to serve alcohol in Chatham still proceeding

Breadcrumb Trail Links News Local News Convenience store chain 7-Eleven's application to serve alcohol at its location in Chatham, shown in February 2021, is ongoing after the

company received approval from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for its location in Leamington. Photo by Mark Malone /SunMedia Article content As 7-Eleven prepares to

serve alcohol at its Leamington location, the company’s application for Chatham is still moving through the approval process. Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded

yet, but your article continues below. Article content The Alcohol and Gaming Commission approved the company’s application for Leamington in December. The store at 138 Erie St.

was the first 7-Eleven location in Ontario to be allowed to sell beer, wine and spirits to dine-in customers. An opening date is still to be announced. Another 60 locations –

including 10 Grand Ave. W. in Chatham – were proposed in early 2021 to follow the same model. According to the AGCO, the next step 7-Eleven must take for the Chatham location is

securing three separate approval letters from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s fire, building and health departments. These letters must state “that the premises meet the

current municipal standards or bylaws administered,” an email from the AGCO said. Advertisement 3 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article

content Paul Lacina, the municipality’s director of building development services, said the request for these letters usually goes through the municipal clerk’s office, which

would be forwarded to him for the building approval. So far, he hasn’t received a notice about this property, he said. Once the approval comes in, Lacina said he would ask

questions about the company’s plans for the location. Selling alcohol as a retail item would be fine under the current zoning, he said, but selling it to be consumed inside would

require a zoning change application before he can give his approval. “The turnaround time for a response from us is pretty quick, but the other departments rely first for my

review of the zoning and what in fact this entails,” Lacina said. Advertisement 4 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Article content “If I

come back and say we need a zoning application to allow this use, then the application just sits there until that process is approved. It could be months for that process to be

approved, depending on the dialogue and the information that goes back and forth from the owner applicant to the planning department.” The AGCO confirmed this application is