New Elsipogtog grocery store and pharmacy creates jobs for First Nation

People who live inElsipogtog, 90 kilometresnorth of Moncton, are celebrating the grand opening of a new commercial development which includes a grocery store and pharmacy on the First Nation.

Nation administrator DJ Joseph said the centre is "huge" for the community of about 3,000.

"It's a walk rather than a long drive to get their groceries and their pharmaceutical needs met," Joseph told Information Morning Moncton.

Until now people who live in Elsipogtog had to travel between 15 and20 minutes to Rexton or Richibucto to get to the nearest stores.

"When you have a population that's below the poverty line or having a bit of extra struggle than your average ... citizen, that really poses a huge barrier and that's what we were after to knock that barrier down," Joseph said.

50 new jobs for community

The commercial centre, which has oneempty space available for a retailer, also means employment for people in Elsipogtog.

"It actually means 50 new jobs in the community and that includes everything from security to administration," he said.

"We'veinvested a lot of time and money and energy into the workers that are there right now because a majority of them or at least a portion of them might not have had any steady employment for the last ... 10 years some even more than that."

Joseph also hopes the new grocery store and pharmacy will attract people from outside Elsipogtog with its convenient location just off the main highway that leads to the community.

"It's one thing to keep your own economy in your community but it's another to bring in new dollars from other communities that maybe we haven't seen before."

The commercial centre is owned by the Elsipogtog First Nation and operated at arms length of the band council by the Misegnatigeoei Development Corporation.

Joseph said the pharmacy is the first Pharmasavedrug store owned and operated by a First Nation community.