Celebrating 25 years of community pharmacy in Alberta

By Stan Ashbee

Alberta Newspaper Group
Pharmasave has served Albertans for the past 25 years, as the first one opened in Alberta in 1994. Since then, Pharmasave has opened 64 pharmacies offering industry-leading healthcare services to communities across Alberta. Pharmacies in the chain offer a wide-variety of drugstore products and services tailored to the needs of each community including medication counselling, injection services such as flu shots and other vaccinations, travel health, diabetes, smoking cessation, weight loss programs, and chronic conditions care.
Over the last 25 years, the community-based chain has been committed to giving back to the communities by being involved in an assortment of local and regional charities. In 2005, Pharmasave Western began hosting a charity golf tournament and to date over $350,000 from this event has been donated to deserving organizations. Pharmasave is also always looking for new stores to open in communities throughout Alberta.
Jason Chan Remillard from Alberta Pharmasave said for the past 25 years, the chain has provided quality care for patients in the communities the stores are operated in. “The health and wellness of our patients has always been our top priority. As we grow and expand throughout the province, this remains the cornerstone of the relationships we build in the community.”
As independent small business owners, he added, Pharmasave believes in supporting and giving back through various charities throughout Alberta.
Melissa and Rob Hozack have owned the Redcliff Pharmasave for the past 11 years and Rob worked for a Pharmasave prior to becoming an owner — he has been a part of the Pharmasave family for 19 years. “It’s great to be a part of the community.”
Hozack noted Pharmasave is the best organization of its type anywhere in Canada. “There’s no other franchise I would want to be a part of. They give you control at the local level you don’t have with any other system.” All the decision-making power, he added, is given to the local owners of the stores.
Hozack said the Redcliff location helps out the community by donating to charities including the local hockey team, the curling rink, and board game events at the youth centre. “We like to attend them and donate to them,” he said.
Redcliff residents have always been supportive over the years, as well. “People like to support us and have someone you can call at home, as your pharmacist and hang out with on the weekend. Our kids play sports together — it’s just a real great tight-knit community. It’s not just strictly a professional relationship — you’re a part of the community. You don’t get that in the city,” he said.

Get More Bow Island Commentator →