Top 10 Convenience Store Franchise Opportunities Near Toronto, ON

Walk down any main street in the GTA and you’ll pass a corner store every few blocks, some tired-looking, some brand new with fresh signage and a line at the register by 7 a.m. That gap is exactly why so many people are looking into buying one right now. Toronto has the population, the foot traffic, and, as of this year, a brand-new revenue stream that didn’t exist a year ago: beer and wine on the shelves.

This guide walks through ten real franchise paths you can pursue in and around Toronto today, roughly what each one costs to get into, and what to ask before you put money down. A quick honest note first: franchise terms shift royalty rates change, territory maps get redrawn, minimum capital requirements move around. Treat every number below as a starting point for your own homework, not a final quote.

Why Toronto Keeps Attracting Convenience Store Owners

The Foot Traffic Advantage

Ontario is already Canada’s biggest convenience store market, with roughly 4,400 locations pulling in more revenue than any other province, and that number is expected to keep growing over the next five years as the GTA keeps filling in. For a corner store, that matters more than almost anything else; this is a foot-traffic business, and few Canadian regions offer more of it per block than Toronto and the neighbourhoods around it.

Beer and Wine Just Became a Real Revenue Line

Here’s the change that’s actually shaking things up: as of January 1, 2026, Ontario convenience stores can legally sell beer, wine, cider, and ready-to-drink cocktails. The province confirmed the rule change through the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, opening the door for as many as 8,500 stores across Ontario to add alcohol to their shelves, something that was simply off the table a couple of years ago.

For anyone weighing a convenience store franchise near Toronto, this isn’t a minor detail. Alcohol tends to carry better margins than tobacco or lottery tickets, and it brings in a different kind of customer than the usual chips-and-gas run. A few brands, including Infinity Mart and Hasty Market, have already started building out beverage alcohol sections in select stores. Others are still working through their AGCO licensing.

Seven Things to Check Before You Sign Anything

Before you start comparing brand names, it helps to run every option through the same short checklist:

• Total investment — does the number include the franchise fee, build-out, signage, and starting inventory, or just the fee?
• Fuel or no fuel — fuel-anchored stores cost more to open but usually see more daily transactions.
• Territory protection — is there a real radius around your store, or could the franchisor approve a competitor two blocks away?
• Royalty and ad fund structure — a smaller upfront fee sometimes hides a bigger ongoing royalty cut.
• Site selection help — will the franchisor help you scout GTA neighbourhoods, or is that entirely your job?
• Alcohol and lottery licensing support — has the brand actually walked franchisees through AGCO and OLG applications before?
• What happens after you open — how long is training, what marketing support exists, and how are disputes handled?

Keep this list nearby. Almost every meaningful difference between the ten brands below comes down to where they land on these seven points.

The 10 Franchise Options Worth Your Time

1. Infinity Mart

Infinity Mart is a Toronto-headquartered brand built around a simpler idea: convenience stores don’t have to look and feel dated. Clean layouts, a curated product mix, and a franchise structure designed for both first-time owners and people scaling into multiple locations. Standalone stores start around $100,000, while combo locations paired with a recognised fuel brand Esso, Mobil, Ultramar, or Centex run from roughly $225,000 to $850,000 or more, with an optional car wash at select sites. The brand currently operates 11-plus locations across Ontario, with a stated goal of reaching 100-plus stores nationally within five years. Every location, franchisee support included, is built around the same site-selection process from application through to opening. For buyers who want a lower-cost standalone option before committing to a fuel combo, it’s one of the more accessible entry points on this list.

2. Circle K (Alimentation Couche-Tard)

Circle K’s parent company, Laval-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, opened the brand to Canadian franchisees back in 2018, and Ontario was where they piloted it. Total investment typically runs from the mid-six-figures into the low millions, depending on whether fuel and a car wash are part of the deal, plus a franchise fee around $25,000 and a royalty near 3.5% of gross sales. This is a fuel-first model, so it suits someone ready to manage a bigger property and a larger upfront cost in exchange for strong brand recognition.

7-Eleven Canada

7-Eleven is usually the first name that comes to mind, and there’s a reason for that. The chain runs hundreds of corporate stores across Ontario and has been actively opening the door to franchisees to speed up growth. Recent disclosure figures put total investment anywhere from around $140,000 for a smaller site up past $1 million for a larger, fuel-anchored location with no ongoing royalty, but a hefty upfront franchise fee. It’s a strong choice if you want a brand people already trust and 24-hour systems that are already built out, but the top end of that price range can be steep for a first-time owner.

4. Hasty Market

Founded in Hamilton in 1981 and now based in Oakville, Hasty Market has grown into a family of around 130 franchise and licensed locations across Ontario under the core Hasty banner, plus newer formats like The Market and Hasty Express. The company has been building out its beverage alcohol offering and recently launched a fresh-food-forward format under The Market name. Because Hasty works with both full turnkey builds and conversions of existing stores, it’s a comparatively flexible option if you already have a retail space in mind.

5. On the Run / Marché Express (Parkland)

On the Run, and its Quebec sibling Marché Express, is the convenience store banner tied to Esso fuel stations across Canada. Parkland Corporation has owned and operated it since acquiring the trademark and roughly 80 franchise agreements from Imperial Oil back in 2016. Because it’s built entirely around the existing Esso dealer network, this route makes more sense for someone already pursuing or holding an Esso fuel dealership, rather than someone looking for a standalone c-store.

6. Pioneer Energy / Snack Express (Parkland)

Pioneer got its start in Hamilton in 1956 and is now headquartered nearby in Burlington. It runs its convenience operations under the Snack Express and Verve banners at dealer-operated sites throughout the province, with plenty of locations within commuting distance of Toronto along the western GTA corridor. Like On the Run, this is a fuel-and-convenience combo model, so expect the investment to sit higher than a standalone store format.

7. Quickie Convenience Stores (MacEwen Petroleum)

Quickie has been an Ottawa-area fixture since 1973 and was picked up by MacEwen Petroleum in 2021 a deal that pushed MacEwen’s combined store count past 100 locations across Ontario and western Quebec. The brand is currently strongest in Eastern Ontario rather than the GTA itself, but MacEwen has been steadily rebranding acquired stores under the Quickie name, including its purchase of the southwestern Ontario chain Little Short Stop Stores. Worth keeping an eye on if you’re open to a location outside the downtown core.

8. Infinity Vape

If you like the convenience retail model but want a smaller entry point, Infinity Vape is a specialty spin-off under the Infinity Mart brand. Franchise investment starts around $39,000, with most locations landing near $50,000 plus inventory. It comes with the same site-selection and operational backing as the full convenience store franchise, just with a narrower product focus  which keeps both overhead and risk lower for a first business.

9. Fuel-and-Convenience Combo Sites

This one isn’t a single company so much as a category: independent operators pairing a convenience store with a recognised fuel brand through distributors like Infinity Mart, Parkland, or Alimentation Couche-Tard. These combo sites usually generate stronger daily transaction volumes, since fuel customers tend to walk in and buy something on their way out. They also carry the highest upfront costs on this list often north of $500,000 once construction, tanks, and signage are factored in.

10. Independent and Local Ontario Banners

Beyond the national names, Ontario has a long history of regionally owned convenience chain stores like Mic’s Kwik Way and other community-anchored shops that have run for decades without ever going fully corporate. These typically change hands through direct acquisition rather than a formal franchise disclosure process, so it’s a longer path. But it’s worth a mention if you’re specifically hunting for an independent store to take over or rebrand rather than sign a name-brand franchise deal.

How They Stack Up at a Glance

Franchise	Typical Investment	Format	Best Fit For
Infinity Mart	~$100K – $850K+	Standalone / combo	First-time owners wanting a lower entry point
Circle K	~$185K – $1.6M+	Standalone / fuel	Investors ready for a larger fuel-anchored site
7-Eleven Canada	~$140K – $1.3M+	Standalone / fuel	Buyers who want an established 24-hour brand
Hasty Market	Varies by format	Standalone / conversion	Owners who already have a retail space
On the Run (Parkland)	Tied to Esso dealership	Fuel combo	Existing or prospective Esso dealers
Pioneer / Snack Express	Tied to fuel dealership	Fuel combo	GTA-west and rural Ontario operators
Quickie (MacEwen)	Regional acquisition model	Standalone / fuel	Buyers open to Eastern Ontario
Infinity Vape	~$39K – $50K+	Specialty retail	Low-budget first-time franchisees
Fuel combo (Esso/Ultramar/Mobil/Centex)	$225K – $850K+	Fuel combo	Investors chasing higher transaction volume
Independent/local banners	Case-by-case	Standalone	Buyers wanting to convert an existing store

So, Which One Fits You?

There’s no single “best” answer here; it depends on how much capital you’re bringing, whether you want fuel in the mix, and how much hand-holding you want from the franchisor during site selection. A newer, GTA-based brand like Infinity Mart tends to appeal to first-time owners because of its lower standalone entry point and its combo option for people ready to scale up later. Established national names like 7-Eleven and Circle K offer instant brand recognition, just at a higher upfront cost.

Whichever way you learn, ask for the full franchise disclosure document, talk to two or three existing franchisees before you sign anything, and confirm your alcohol and lottery licensing timeline with the AGCO and OLG early. Those approvals can take longer than the actual store build.

Questions People Ask Before Signing

How much does it cost to open a convenience store franchise near Toronto?

It depends heavily on the format. Specialty setups like Infinity Vape can start around $39,000, standalone convenience stores often begin near $100,000–$150,000, and fuel-anchored combo sites frequently run from $225,000 well into the millions once construction, tanks, and signage are included.

Can convenience stores in Toronto sell beer and wine now?

Yes. As of January 1, 2026, Ontario convenience stores can sell beer, wine, cider, and ready-to-drink cocktails, following regulatory changes confirmed by the AGCO. Individual stores still need their own alcohol licence before stocking those products.

Which franchise is easiest to start on a smaller budget?

Infinity Vape has the lowest published entry point on this list, followed by standalone Infinity Mart locations both considerably more accessible than fuel-anchored formats from 7-Eleven or Circle K.