Category: Alberta

Watch the Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In documentary October 21 on CTV2

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

Hosted in June, 2020, Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In was the first ever socially distanced drive-in country music concert series.

Safeway was a proud presenting sponsor of the historic event resulting in100 per cent of ticket sales supporting Food Banks Alberta and Enoch First Nations Food Bank. In addition to raising more than $70,000, we also helped bring together Albertans for a safe and fun experience. This partnership truly brought to life our purpose of a family nurturing families and our collective commitment to help remove barriers for more neighbours to access healthy and affordable food.

Now, a one-hour documentary takes fans behind the scenes as the multiple JUNO and CCMA Award-winner brings his vision to life from the video calls with his crew, to socially distanced rehearsals, to being back on a stage for the first show in Edmonton, separated from his band with plexi-glass partitions. It’s an emotional journey that reinforces the importance of family and friends when faced with unprecedented challenges.

We are so thrilled to have played a part in making the concert series a reality, and that 100 of our own frontline teammates were in attendance, enjoying a well-deserved night off with family.

Tune in and watch the documentary on Wednesday, October 21 at 8:00 PM MST on CTV2.

Alberta Safeway Teammates raise over $247,000 for mental health programs at Stollery Children’s Hospital and Alberta Children’s Hospital

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

There is no question that Safeway teammates are dedicated members of the community who step up when their neighbours need help. Throughout our first in-store checkstand fundraising campaign in support of A Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health Initiative, you again stepped up to support Canadian families and encouraged our customers to donate to the cause.

100 per cent of the funds raised during the campaign are directed to the priority mental health programs at the local children’s hospital in that community. That’s part of what makes this initiative so unique – your collective national effort will have tangible local impact.

Together, teammates and customers across the country raised an incredible $2.2M in support of Canadian kids and their families.

Alberta Division Stores raised over $443,217 in support of the mental health programs at Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation, of which Safeway teammates helped to raise $247,141.


Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation – Advancing and Personalizing Treatment

Inadequate scientific knowledge about pediatric mental health disorders means that many treatments and prevention strategies have not advanced in decades. A new Foundational Discovery Platform will engage hundreds of young people in innovative research aimed at understanding pediatric mental health and improving and creating more effective therapies. By collecting and analyzing crucial data with a 360-degree view of participants, the initiative will inform and optimize care for children and teens across the country.


Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation – Enhancing Urgent Mental Health Services

Donor investments are vital in expanding round-the-clock mental health support to children, youth and families. Stollery will be able to create integrated mental health services within the emergency department, boost 24/7 helpline support, along with a separate walk-in clinic space to increase access to help increase timely access to an expert team of nurses, social workers, therapists, and child and adolescent psychiatrists.

About the Initiative
Launched on August 26, 2020, the A Family of Support: Child and Youth Mental Health initiative addresses the critical need for early interventions in child and youth mental health. This groundbreaking long-term partnership between Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Sobey Foundation and Sobeys Inc. have committed to donating and raising millions of dollars to enhance resources for 13 children’s hospitals across Canada.

Fill your prescription in our pharmacies and save more!

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

With cough, cold and flu season right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of the best and most cost-effective way to get the healthcare products and services for you and your family.

Fill your prescriptions in our pharmacies and save more!
Safeway provides industry-leading benefits to our teammates. By visiting our banner stores for your healthcare needs, you can take advantage of our competitive prices –and in many cases, higher percentages of reimbursement depending on the benefit plan in which you participate.  

And while you’re getting your prescription filled, pick up your groceries and take advantage of our upcoming Employee Discount to be announced soon. It’s a one-stop shop for all your savings!

Not an existing patient at our pharmacies? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Transferring your prescriptions is easy! Just call any of our pharmacy teams and we will get it done for you.

A variety of healthcare services
From blood pressure screening to baby wellness, to flu vaccines, and more, our pharmacy team is committed to providing personalized care and quality service. We also offer patient education programs and work closely with in-store Dietitians (where available) to help patients achieve their health goals.

We’re always ready to help you with your healthcare needs, including:

  • Automatic prescription refills
  • Custom pill packaging (to easily remember what to take and when)
  • Private consultations and medication reviews
  • Easy prescription transfers1
  • Prescription renewals and other prescribing services1
  • Home delivery if you are unable to come into the store
  • All with your wellness and privacy in mind2

Start shopping in your pharmacies and save more!  To find your convenient pharmacy banner location and to learn more about our services, visit www.pharmacynearestyou.ca.

1Prescribing and prescription transfer services are subject to provincial regulations.
2All pharmacies are required by law to protect personal and health information.

One new FreshCo location in Saskatchewan and one in Alberta announced

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

We are continually evaluating our store networks to ensure that we have the right stores in the right markets to meet the needs of the communities that we serve. Today, Sobeys Inc. announced two new FreshCo locations in Western Canada – one location in Saskatchewan and one in Alberta.

Opening in Summer 2021:

  • FreshCo, Albert Street, Regina

Opening in Winter 2021/2022:

  • FreshCo, Cobblestone, Grande Prairie

The Saskatchewan location is an existing Sobeys store in Regina and starting February 2021, it will temporarily close for renovations and re-open as FreshCo. The Alberta FreshCo store announced today is a new build construction site located in Grande Prairie, in the Cobblestone community.

Our full-service grocery stores are an important part of our customer offer and a valued part of our business. By expanding our store network to include full-service Safeway stores, as well as additional discount FreshCo stores, we’re better equipped to meet our customers’ diverse needs.

We will be working closely with impacted employees in Regina and their union in the coming weeks to provide support through this transition.

Stay up-to-date at SafewayTalks.ca.

 

Six Sobeys women achievers win Canadian Grocer Star Women Awards

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

I am extremely pleased and very proud to announce that six Sobeys employees have been named 2020 Star Women Awards recipients by Canadian Grocer.  Since 2012, this award has been given annually to recognize exceptional women who demonstrate influence, innovation, and leadership in the Canadian grocery industry.

Our Star Women honourees are individuals that bring passion and commitment to their work and their communities each day. They are recognized by both their Sobeys peers and industry professionals as role models who deliver business excellence through collaborative team engagement. I am very pleased that they are being given the recognition they deserve, not only within Sobeys, but by the country’s grocery industry.  Their achievement serves as an inspiration for all leaders on our team.

This year, two of our Sobeys recipients were named in the Senior Level category, three in the Store Level category, and one in the Rising Star category.

Please join me in celebrating and congratulating our 2020 Star Women awardees:

Senior Level Stars

Kerry Tompson, Vice President of Talent & Inclusion

Kerry is innovative, customer-driven and willing to set bold ambitions to drive results. Since she joined Sobeys Inc. in 2018, Kerry has worked tirelessly to ensure the company’s people practices were “best in class” so that Sobeys could attract and retain the best talent. In 2020, when the company faced the COVID-19 pandemic, Kerry, together with a dedicated team, rallied to create a national Talent Acquisition SWAT Team, employment branding and labour dashboard to ensure our stores were supported to serve families during a difficult time.

Vittoria Varalli, Vice President of Sustainability and Chief of Staff to the CEO

As a future- oriented strategy driver, Vittoria is highly skilled at building consensus and mobilizing action plans as the retail industry evolves. Vittoria’s commitment to reducing avoidable plastic in grocery retail has already created a lasting impact. In July 2019, under Vittoria’s direction, Sobeys Inc. was the first national grocer to announce it would eliminate single-use plastic grocery bags at all banner locations in Canada, starting with its 255 Sobeys stores, taking 225 million plastic bags out of circulation annually.

Rising Star

Julia Mallett, Manager Retail Operations, Atlantic Division

Julia is knowledgeable, passionate and solution-orientated.  She does not hesitate to find opportunities for improvement, whether they be for the industry, our stores or our customers. Focused on serving the total team, Julia actively works towards identifying root cause issues and solutioning them, helping to improve internal processes, communications and reporting which benefits everyone. Recently, Julia worked diligently with the strategic sourcing of key supplies to assist with pandemic safety measures.

Store-level Stars

Alice Warner, Store Manager, Safeway McBride, New Westminster, BC

Alice is a store operation professional with a unique leadership style that inspires strong team engagement, customer loyalty and community recognition. She is a committed advocate for the advancement of leadership opportunities for talented women in store-level grocery operations at Sobeys. Alice is dedicated to mentoring her store staff to pursue career development opportunities, and has committed her time and energy in helping to establish Sobeys’ Women’s Inclusion Network in B.C.

Suzanne Horner, Store Manager, Sobeys West River Road, Pictou, NS 

Suzanne’s depth of store operations experience and an approachable and highly motivating leadership style have been essential to building strong workplace engagement and business performance. A key element to her success is a commitment in creating opportunities to welcome and advance diverse talent within her community to support operational success. Her inclusive hiring experiences have brought process improvements and identified areas to improve accessibility within her store that have resulted in more inclusive experiences for both employees and customers.

Leslie Robb, Store Manager, Safeway Fort St John, Fort St John, BC

Leslie is a strong, experienced business and community leader who goes above and beyond to support her store teams as an authentic role model and mentor of individuals in early stages of their careers. As a member of Sobeys’ Alberta Women’s Inclusion Network, she has undertaken a deep interest in supporting advancement of female professionals in her store and within her operating district and boasts a high-performing and accomplished team of department managers that consistently contribute to operational success.

Winners will be featured in the August 2020 issue of Canadian Grocer and will be celebrated at the Star Women in Grocery Awards Breakfast on October 29, 2020.

It seems that every year, more and more Sobeys women leaders are recognized through this awards program.  In 2018, we garnered two spots in the program, followed by four in 2019, and now an amazing six recipients for 2020! I look forward to congratulating more of our hardworking and passionate female leaders winning this award in the coming years.

The ratification vote is soon, make your voice heard

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

As you know, the Company and UFCW 401 ended negotiations this past Wednesday, seeking recommendations from

In the coming days, UFCW 401 has asked you to participate in a ratification vote to decide on the Government Appointed Mediator’s recommendations.

We thank you for your continued patience. Though this process was challenging and at times difficult, we believe that the recommendations are the best opportunity to avoid a labour dispute. They allow us to move forward and focus on our collective future.

It is important you vote. Key decisions about your job are at stake and voting is how you can make your voice heard. By not voting, you are allowing others to make these key decisions for you.

We hope you feel you have the information you need to make an informed decision. Please take a moment to review the meeting notifications posted by the Union to know when and where to vote.

Please don’t hesitate to speak to your store manager if you have any questions on the process.

 

A Path Forward: Recommendations to be accepted

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

As you know, the Company and UFCW 401 ended negotiations this past Wednesday, seeking recommendations from the government appointment mediator.

On Monday, July 20 we received these recommendations from the mediator and carefully evaluated them. While some are not perfectly aligned with the Company’s objectives, we are satisfied that, as a whole, we can work with them to achieve labour stability for the next five years.

The Union will take these to their membership for a ratification vote. Please stay up to date with any upcoming meetings as once again you will be called upon to exercise your right to vote on this matter. It is important you show up and not leave this decision in the hands of others. Your future should be your decision.

We thank you for your continued commitment to one another and our customers. Even in the face of these challenging times, you still ensured our stores were a safe and welcoming place to shop and work. We look forward for continuing to move forward with this unstoppable team.

 

An update on July collective bargaining

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

As you know we returned to collective bargaining with UFCW 401 this past Monday. As of today, both the Company and the Union have ended negotiations asking our Government Appointed Mediator to provide recommendations on issues that are still outstanding. We feel this is a promising step in coming to a collective agreement that makes sense for both parties.

On Monday (July 20), the Government Appointed Mediator will provide both parties the recommendations and they will have chance to review and decide if they will be accepted. If all gets accepted, UFCW 401 will look to schedule a ratification vote. Please watch for communications on next steps. Our commitment to finding a fair agreement that allows us to build a more competitive future together has not changed and we thank you for your continued patience throughout this process.

We will share updates as they become available. Please speak to your Store Manager if you have any questions.

 

Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In – A one-of-a-kind concert series in celebration of our frontline heroes

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

Earlier this month, Safeway and Canadian country music star Brett Kissel came together to host a one-of-a-kind concert series in support of Alberta’s food banks and in celebration of our frontline heroes.

Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In is the first ever socially distanced drive-in country music concert series. With Safeway’s support, 100 per cent of ticket sales from all six shows were directed to Food Banks Alberta, and we are thrilled to announce that together we have donated $70,000 to help Albertan families keep food on the table.

It was important to Safeway and Brett that these concerts also celebrate the incredibly hard work frontline heroes have put in across the country since the onset of the pandemic. When the six shows sold out in just a few hours, there was no question that we needed to hold two more, very important shows.

The Frontline Heroes concerts gave 400 deserving frontline workers the opportunity to attend the show with their family or friends, and a chance to relax and celebrate all their hard work over the past few months. The audience included everyone from frontline healthcare workers, food bank staff, committed volunteers, firefighters, and 100 of our own frontline grocery heroes.

Employees working at any Sobeys Inc. banner location within 300 km of the concert venue were invited to enter a contest for tickets. Ultimately,100 lucky winning employees from 44 different Safeway, Sobeys and IGA locations received vehicle passes to the once-in-a-lifetime event. Their smiles speak for themselves!

 


Colleen Chiles from Soutbrook Sobeys shows off her limited edition Brett Kissel: Live at the Drive-In bag

 


Jorge Martinez-Gutierrez from Sobeys Bonnyville enjoys the show from the roof of his car.

Heather MacKenzie, who works at Sobeys Westlock, said the concert was just what she and her family needed right now. “We were supposed to be in the UK meeting our 12-week-old great niece and celebrating a big anniversary and a wedding this month, but the trip was cancelled because of the pandemic, so it was a great boost to go to such a fun event together.”


Heather and her family enjoying the show

See the highlight reel from the event here.

Brett Kissel Live at the Drive- In is one-way Safeway and the Sobeys Inc. family is supporting local communities through its Community Action Fund. Initiated at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Action Fund empowers 1,500 stores across the country to inject millions of dollars into Canadian communities. The fund has helped deliver food and critical funds to food banks and a range of other community organizations in need across Canada. To see more about the great support you and your teammates have already provided to your communities, click here.

Post-vote update: Where are we now?

Posted on by Sudhanshu Rewari

Thank you for continuing to support one another and upholding our commitment to customers through what we know has been a challenging time. Transparency is just as important as ever, and we want to provide you with an update on where we stand in the negotiation process.

On Monday, UFCW 401 confirmed a positive strike vote. Forty four percent of eligible employees participated in the vote. This means that the Union received the votes needed to begin the legally-required 72-hour notice period ahead of a strike. As a result, we have taken the similar, legally-required step necessary to ensure that should the Union enact a strike, we will be in a position to issue a lockout notice.

While both the Company and UFCW 401 have taken action to prepare for a potential labour disruption, both parties have expressed an interest in working together towards an agreed upon settlement. However, we are still concerned by the Union’s decision to end mediation and take a strike vote. These actions have made it increasingly more difficult to work towards this shared goal.  Despite these concerns, Safeway’s bargaining team is ready to meet with the Union and resume bargaining as early as mid-July.

Our commitment to you and the future of Safeway in Alberta has not changed, and in order for us to reach a competitive collective agreement, the Union and its bargaining committee must acknowledge Alberta’s troubling economic climate and the need to set Safeway up for long term growth. The next few years are critical to our shared success and we will continue to standby our unwavering commitment to building a strong future for all of us.

We will continue to examine our options and will always provide accurate updates as they become available.