Employees of grocery and drug store chains across the Lower Mainland have recently tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19).
Last week eight workers tested positive from stores in Burnaby, Surrey, Coquitlam, Langley, and Vancouver. This week there are 10 more, most from stores owned by Loblaw Companies Ltd., the parent company of Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills, Shoppers Drug Mart, Wholesale Club, and Your Independent Grocer. Loblaw updated its COVID-19 employee case tracker May 14-19 with the following new cases:
- Real Canadian Superstore, #1105 Eaton Ctr. 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 11.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 2855 Gladwin, Road, Abbotsford, BC. The last day team member(s) worked was May 8.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 8962 152nd Street, Surrey, B.C. Last day team member(s) worked was May 7.
- Real Canadian Superstore, #1105 Eaton Ctr. 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 12.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 350 S.E. Marine Dr, Vancouver, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 6.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 7322 King George Blvd. Surrey, BC. The last day team member(s) worked was May 11.
- Real Canadian Superstore, #1105 Eaton Ctr. 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC. The last day team member(s) worked was May 10.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 8195- 120th Street, Delta, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 5.
- Real Canadian Superstore, #1105 Eaton Ctr. 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 9.
- Dean's NOFRILLS Vancouver, 4508 Fraser Street, Vancouver, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 9.
Six more infections were reported outside Metro Vancouver.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 301 Highway 33 West, Kelowna, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 7.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 910 Columbia Street West, Kamloops, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 12.
- Real Canadian Superstore, 2280 Baron Road, Kelowna, BC. The last day team member(s) worked was May 11.
- Shoppers Drug Mart, 32530 Lougheed Highway, Mission, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 11.
- Heather's Your Independent Grocer, 5530 Sunshine Coast Highway, Sechelts, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 8.
- Extra Foods Merritt, 2760 Forksdale Avenue, Merritt, B.C. The last day team member(s) worked was May 10.
While T&T Supermarket is owned by Loblaw, the Canadian Asian grocery chain lists its COVID-19 cases separately on its own site and has had no employee at work in the last two weeks who has since tested positive for the virus.
Sobeys Inc., which operates B.C. chains Thrifty Foods and Safeway, and is the franchisor of discount grocery company FreshCo, reported three cases last week where the employees’ last day worked was between May 2-5.
None of the infections are considered a public exposure by either Vancouver Coastal Health or Fraser Health, and none of the stores have been shut down by the health authority or WorkSafeBC.
- With files from Lindsay William-Ross
