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Peter’s independent grocer a national winner

The Kelowna business is one of the winners of the 2017 Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment
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Peter Boyd (second from right), was honoured by the Government of Canada this week.

A Kelowna business has been honoured for helping newcomers to Canada with its hiring practices.

Peter’s Your Independent Grocer is being recognized by the Government of Canada for tackling the challenges and obstacles faced by newcomers and striving to make them feel at home in Canada through its people-focused hiring practices.

The Kelowna business was congratulated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Ahmed Hussen as one of the winners of the 2017 Employer Awards for Newcomer Employment for its exemplary work to help newcomers to Canada find and retain jobs and enhance their employment skills.

“Every day I feel happy to go to work,” said Peter Boyd, owner of Peter’s Your Independent Grocer “Opening my mind and doors to people of all backgrounds has allowed me to grow, my team to grow and our store to be known as a place of welcoming neighbours.”

Every year through these awards, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes local businesses’ innovative efforts to improve the labour market attachment and integration of newcomers across Canada. The winning organizations help reduce the barriers faced by newcomers in entering the labour market and improve their overall settlement in Canada.

“I am both grateful for and impressed by the leadership role that Peter’s YIG has played to support the successful settlement and integration of newcomers to Canada,” said The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. “Through its unique hiring and training practices, Peter’s YIG truly recognizes and breaks down the barriers that many newcomers experience when trying to find jobs, which makes a significant difference in the lives of newcomers to Canada.”

Winners were announced at the 2017 Employer Council of Champions Summit, organized by Hire Immigrants Ottawa, which brought together business, government and civic leaders to engage in a dialogue about the effective integration of refugees and immigrants into the labour force, and to celebrate employer excellence.

Peter’s employs about 200 staff members, of which more than 22 percent have immigrated to Canada.