Category: Alberta

Keep heart healthy this month

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Did you know that 2.4 million Canadians are affected by heart disease and that it’s the second leading cause of death in Canada? February is heart health month, and our Safeway Pharmacy wants to help you reduce your risk of heart disease and increase your heart health knowledge.

What is heart disease? Heart disease refers to various types of heart conditions, such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure, hypertension, or arrhythmia. Heart disease can affect men and women differently. Click HERE to learn more about heart health.

Pharmacy has changed roles when it comes to health care. Your local pharmacist is an educator, but also someone who is here to support you. Our Safeway Pharmacy teams can help you with heart health management and even prevention of heart disease. Here’s how they can help:

  • A member of our pharmacy team can discuss alternative behaviours that will help prevent you from getting heart disease, such as having a well-balanced diet, active living or quitting smoking.
  • Our pharmacists can create a personalized care plan that’s specific to you! They’ll meet with you to review your health history and current medications. Together, you’ll develop a plan that is suited best to you.
  • Medication reviews are a great way to understand your meds. Our teams can help you understand how the medications interact, with any side effects, and with goals to decrease the dosage of a medication.
    • Ask your local Safeway pharmacist about compliance packaging, which will help ensure that you take your prescriptions correctly and on time. We have a variety of innovative solutions.
  • Your blood pressure plays an important role in preventing and managing heart disease. Our Safeway Pharmacies offers free blood pressure testing and results are available immediately.
    • The test is simple, painless, and takes only a minute or two. This allows you to be in control of your health!
    • Discuss your results with our pharmacists – we can assess your personal history and let you know if you need to take action.

Visit your local Safeway Pharmacy team and see how they can help with your heart health management.

February is American Heart Month, which brings awareness to heart disease, stroke, and overall heart health. The key to living a long, healthy life is caring for your heart, so take note

Thank you for helping us raise more than $600,000 for local food banks!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

On behalf of our food bank partners, a big thank you to our Alberta Safeway teams for your ongoing commitment to our communities and food bank partners. The need is at a record high, and every single dollar raised will help fill the shelves at our local food banks.

We’re happy to share that our Alberta Safeway teammates and customers came together to raise more than $600,000 in support of local food banks and food programs in our communities.

In total, $4.6 million was raised in food and funds across all Sobeys Inc. banners. An impressive $3.1 million was raised from December 1 – 23. The Sobeys Inc. match weekend on December 17 – 18, resulted in an additional $250,000, bringing the total funds raised to $3.3 million. In addition to customer donations, $1.3 million in food bank hamper sales took place from November through December.

To you, our teammates, who brought this campaign to life — a HUGE thank you for your incredible fundraising efforts! The funds you helped raise will directly support hungry families in your communities, and you should feel so proud of the difference you’re making in someone’s life.

A big round of applause for Karen, cashier at Southgate Safeway (Edmonton, AB), who raised more than $1,400.

One of our cashiers, Kathy, at Leduc Safeway proudly supporting this initiative. With her efforts, she helped raise more than $900 for local food banks and food programs.

A day of remembrance

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Today, on November 11, let us pay tribute to the many Canadian heroes, both past and present, who have fought and sacrificed for our beautiful country. For without their sacrifices, the freedoms we enjoy today would not be possible.

As a team with such deep Canadian roots, it’s important that we take a moment to pause and reflect on the courage and bravery of those who served, and continue to serve, our great nation. We will wear our poppies with pride today to honour them.

The following will be read over the PA system in our Safeway stores at 11:00 a.m. this morning to observe a moment of silence:

“Please join us now for two minutes of silence, to honour and remember the men and women who have; and continue to serve Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace. During this time of reflection, we pause to thank and remember our Fallen.”

Today and always, #CanadaRemembers.

Congratulations to our teammates accepted in the 2022/2023 Nourish U Program

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

At Safeway, we’re committed to helping our teammates be the best that they can be. We’re here to support each of you in taking risks, striving for greatness, and chasing after your career dreams. Because your success is OUR success.

One of the ways we can help you advance your career is through the Nourish U Management Training Program. Nourish U is our leadership development program for corporate Store Manager (SMT) and Department Manager (DMT) training. It’s the very best opportunity to immerse yourself in our operations, get to know our teammates, and understand our products. But Nourish U is more than just an education tool — it’s the engine that kick starts our culture, brings together our brightest minds, and establishes a foundation for every successful career at Safeway.

With that said, it’s our absolute pleasure to congratulate the following 31 Alberta Safeway teammates who’ve been accepted in the 2022/2023 Nourish U Program. You should feel incredibly proud for being selected. And for investing in yourself.

We’re all rooting for you — and know you have what it takes to be successful. We couldn’t be prouder to have you part of the Safeway family!

From left to right: Amber-Lee Karnitsky from Safeway Wetaskiwin and Sharene De Vries from Safeway Leduc ready for their Store Manager and Department Manager training respectively.

Celebrating the successful acceptance of Nathan Eveneshen (DMT) and Kelly Falk (SMT) from Safeway Leduc.
     
A big congrats to Maxwell Adams (pictured left) from Safeway Windermere, Patrick Macleod (pictured right) from Safeway Leduc, and Ted Krukewich (pictured below) from Safeway Hinton for their acceptance in the DMT program.

If you’re interested in applying for an upcoming Nourish U Program cohort, visit the Nourish U tile in the People Portal for more information, or speak to your manager who’s always available to help.

Stay tuned for a Safeway Talks story soon celebrating our 2021/2022 graduates.

Have you entered the Safeway Talks Gift Card Giveaway?

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Thank you for being part of the Safeway Talks community.

Safeway Talks is a great way to stay up to date on all things Safeway, from success stories and community events to new initiatives, and more.

If you haven’t entered the contest yet, there’s still time! You only need to enter once to be eligible to win.

By October 30, click here to enter for your shot at winning a $100 Sobeys Inc. gift card.

50 lucky Safeway teammates will be randomly selected, and their Sobeys Inc. gift card will be sent directly to them.

Good luck!

Mental wellbeing: building resilience and avoiding burnout

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Yesterday was World Mental Health Day. Each year it provides us an opportunity to reconnect and re-kindle our efforts to protect and improve our mental health.

Building resilience and avoiding burnout are two very important topics that are extremely relevant in our personal and professional lives, especially given the challenges of the past couple of years.

To help you make some effective changes in your life today, we’re sharing this new tip sheet. Mental health affects every one of us and support is here.

A time to give thanks

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

Heading into the Thanksgiving weekend, we know how hard you’re working to ensure our customers can get everything they need to create their favourite holiday dishes.

We couldn’t be more thankful to have teammates like you. You continue to create exceptional shopping experiences for our customers, and find new and innovative ways to help us succeed.

As you gather around the table with family and friends to enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal, remember that we’re proud to have you at the Safeway family table.

We appreciate your support and commitment not only this Thanksgiving weekend, but every day of the year.

We hope you have a great holiday with the people in your life who matter most.

Happy Thanksgiving, Safeway!

Scotiabank’s offer to teammates

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

In celebration of our partnership with Scotiabank and our co-ownership of Scene+, Scotiabank is providing select banking offers to our teammates. From competitive mortgage rates to time-limited waived banking fees on select bank accounts and credit cards, new and existing Scotiabank customers are able to take advantage of these offers.

Scotiabank’s offer to teammates includes:

  • Bank Account: Preferred Package: $16.95 monthly fee waived for a year, for both new and existing Scotiabank customers
  • Credit Card: Right-sized Credit Card: First year annual fee waived (up to $150) on select cards with Preferred Banking Package
  • Mortgage Rates: Competitive rates for staff, lower than bank posted rates
  • Advice+: Comprehensive Roadmap: No obligation, personalized advice to support finances and personal needs and access to Financial Planning, and advice to support you with your financial wellness and goals

For more information on these offers and how take advantage of them, please click here.

For any questions about the offers, please contact or visit your local Scotiabank branch.

This offer is for employees of Empire Company Limited and its subsidiaries, franchisees and affiliates: Sobeys, Safeway, Foodland, Foodland & Participating Co-ops, FreshCo, Chalo! FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA, Rachelle Béry, Les Marchés Tradition, Lawtons Drugs, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà by Safeway, Voilà par IGA, Needs Convenience, Sobeys Liquor, Safeway Liquor and Thrifty Foods Liquor.

Standing in solidarity: Honouring our Indigenous Peoples on Orange Shirt Day

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

For a period of more than 150 years, First Nations, Inuit and Métis Nation children were taken from their families and communities to attend schools which were often located far from their homes. More than 150,000 children attended Indian Residential Schools. Many never returned.

On Orange Shirt Day (September 30), Safeway — alongside all of Sobeys Inc.’s banners from coast to coast — showed their support for Indigenous teammates, families, customers, and the communities we serve by wearing an orange shirt or ribbon to send a strong message of recognition and remembrance to Indigenous Peoples.

Thank you to all of our Safeway teammates who took the time to wear orange shirts, ribbons and stickers, create in-store informational displays, and share inspiring stories. Not to mention those who donated to local organizations supporting Indigenous Peoples.

Check out just a few photos of how our Safeway teammates from across the country marked this meaningful day — showing our commitment to the journey to Truth and Reconciliation. We’re so inspired by your display of solidarity with our Indigenous communities.

Corral Centre Safeway (Brandon, MB) honouring Truth and Reconciliation Day with a donation to the Brandon Friendship Centre.

Southland Mall Safeway (Regina, SK)

But there’s always more we can do. At Sobeys Inc., we’re committed to taking action for the long-term. This includes our ongoing involvement in the Progressive Aboriginal Relations program in partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. For more information, you can reach out to Kakwiranoron Cook (kakwiranoron.cook@sobeys.com), Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations and Communications.

In addition, you can visit the “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Jam Group” tile in the home page of your People Portal to access Indigenous Workplace Inclusion resources.

Scene+ takes over the West!

Posted on by Daniela Travierso

It’s official — Scene+ has taken over Western Canada!

On September 22, Scene+ replaced the AIR MILES program in our Safeway stores and online. And our Alberta teammates sure made quite the scene celebrating this exciting milestone.

But don’t take our word for it — these photos and video say it all!

So many smiles. So much fun had by all.

From educating customers on the new program to the incredible décor, displays and treats, it was an epic and memorable launch. You went above and beyond to help us usher in Scene+ in our Alberta Safeway stores — and we couldn’t be prouder to have you on our team.

Again, thank you for your many contributions in getting your store ready for one of the most momentous events in the history of our business. Your enthusiasm for our new loyalty program is infectious.

Let’s continue to work together to thrill every customer who comes through our doors, making their Safeway shopping experience second to none!