The largest employer in Alberta, Safeway Operations, Sobeys Inc. is set to receive Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s Refugee Employment Award for its leading role in employing refugees in Calgary.

Safeway Operations, Sobeys Inc. has worked with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society to recruit and provide 170 immigrants and refugees in Calgary with job opportunities in 34 Safeway retail stores and four distribution centres.

“We are honoured by this tremendous recognition. Safeway Operations, Sobeys Inc. is proud of the relationship we’ve developed with many organizations in communities across western Canada. Our partnership with the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society and the refugee hiring initiative has provided an excellent opportunity to engage and develop a team of dedicated Safeway Operations, Sobeys Inc. employees,” says Mark Dimnik, Vice President of Human Resources at Sobeys Inc.

Canada runs a number of refugee programs, and has resettled over 12,300 refugees in 2014 alone. The government says it is committed to helping immigrants and refugees integrate into Canadian society, and has recently tripled settlement funding to almost $600 million.

The national award is given based on nominations made by service provider organizations, who base their decisions on the success of employers who draw in refugees into Canada’s labour market and help them integrate into Canadian society.

While Safeway Operations, Sobeys Inc. was nominated by Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, other winners of the award around Canada include the Gala Bakery in Hamilton (nominated by Wesley Urban Ministries), and Dexter Construction of Halifax (nominated by Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia).