CALGARY, AB, April 13, 2022 /CNW/ – Specsavers, the world’s largest optometrist-owned and -led business, is announcing an investment of $25 million into Alberta. This investment, which will contribute to the opening of 50 high-tech optometry clinics and optical stores in the province by 2024, creating over 750 essential service jobs, has the goal of improving Albertans’ eye health and reducing preventable blindness.
A recent poll into the Alberta market, conducted by Research Co. and commissioned by Specsavers, unveiled that almost one-in-three Albertans haven’t had an eye exam in over three years, and 60% feel as though eyewear is currently not affordable for Canadians.i With the goal of redefining accessible eyecare, Specsavers is focused on bringing affordable, value-driven prescription eyewear, paired with high-quality clinical care and an unrivalled network of professional expertise, to its customers.
“Specsavers’ investment into Alberta aligns with our purpose of changing lives through better sight,” said Bill Moir, General Manager, Specsavers Canada. “Seventy-five per cent of vision loss can be prevented or successfully treated just by improving access to eyecare services.ii With Specsavers’ global scale, we are able to lower the cost of eyewear for Albertans, which helps remove a main barrier to getting regular eye exams. We also equip local optometrists and opticians with the latest imaging and clinical technology to provide our comprehensive eye exams, which include a 3D eye scan. We make this available to all patients at no additional cost because we’ve proven this has a measurable impact on the early detection of debilitating health conditions.”
Specsavers’ entry into Alberta is part of a $100 million investment plan for Canada, which was announced earlier this year to open 200 locations across the country. The multi-million-dollar investment into the province will cover 100 per cent of location start-up costs for optometrists and opticians who become Specsavers business owners. All optometry clinics and optical stores will be locally owned, creating new jobs and allowing owners to focus on the specific needs of their community.
“We have entered the province to provide Albertans with quality eyecare and affordable eyewear. As a result of the overwhelmingly positive response to date in British Columbia, we’re working to make Specsavers’ high-quality and accessible care available to Albertans, well within the year,” said Moir.
Supportive Quotes
“We are pleased to welcome Specsavers as they expand into our province to provide affordable and high-quality eyecare options, with the intention of safeguarding Albertans’ vision through disease detection,” said Jason Copping, Minister of Health. “Our ministry is focused on providing and expanding quality healthcare in every region of the province and we look forward to working with Specsavers as they open 50 new stores across Alberta.”
“Investment continues to flow into Alberta and we are pleased to welcome Specsavers to our province. Their decision to expand into Alberta means another 750 new, high-tech jobs are available for job-seekers. This is great news for Albertans across the province,” said Doug Schweitzer, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Innovation.
About Specsavers
Founded in the U.K. nearly 40 years ago by optometrist husband and wife team Doug and Mary Perkins, there are now more than 2,300 Specsavers locations across 11 countries caring for 41 million patients and customers. As market leaders in all of the countries they operate in, Specsavers delivers style, and function with quality eyewear at an affordable price, while using the most advanced clinical equipment as a standard part of eye examinations.
_____________________________
i Research Co. (2022, February). Canadian EyeHealth [Survey].
