VANCOUVER -- The parent company of multiple grocery stores and a retail pharmacy chain has issued warnings after employees at locations across B.C. recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Loblaws posted the warnings earlier this week, saying some team members at No Frills, Independent Grocer, Real Canadian Superstore and Shoppers Drug Mart locations were confirmed to have the disease. 

"Given the important role we play in our communities, we are prepared for all possible situations, including a positive test for COVID-19 in our stores," a statement on the Loblaws website says. 

"In these cases, we work closely with public health and follow their guidance to ensure proper notification of close contacts and required cleaning and sanitization in our stores."

Those COVID-19 cases were confirmed at:

  • Shoppers Drug Mart at 32530 Lougheed Hwy. in Mission (employee's last day was Sept. 16)
  • Dave's No Frills at 1401 Alaska Ave. in Dawson Creek (employee's last day was Sept. 18)
  • Hector's Your Independent Grocer at 1900 Garibaldi Way in Squamish (employee's last day was Sept. 23)
  • Real Canadian Superstore at 333 Seymour Blvd. in North Vancouver (employee's last day was Sept. 24)

"In all of our stores, we encourage our colleagues and employees to wear masks, particularly where physical distancing is not always possible," the Loblaws notice says. 

Masks are required for customers at Extra Foods, Fortinos, Maxi, No Frills, Real Canadian Superstores and T&T stores across Canada, the company says.

Notices are only kept online for 15 days and personal information about employees is never released. 

Earlier this week, parent company Sobeys posted a notice about employees at two of its Metro Vancouver Safeway locations testing positive for COVID-19. One notice was posted for the 3410 Kingsway location in Vancouver, while the other was for the 15355 24 Ave. location in Surrey. 

Last month, two other Safeway locations posted similar warnings. Both were in Surrey and one noted that three of its employees tested positive for the disease.