Manitoba's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 40
MANITOBA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
40
Red River Cooperative has strong support for wellness
A
bby Gaborieau was
looking for a job that
was fun and fulfilling
when she applied
for a position as a
part-time cashier at the Selkirk
gas bar operated by Red River
Cooperative Ltd. She not only
found that — she also found an
employer that is willing to do
whatever it takes to fuel her career
advancement.
“If you work hard, you’re going
to get noticed,” says Gaborieau. “I
started out part-time but now I'm
the opening cashier and I work
full-time. And the co-op is always
helping me take steps forward in
my career.”
We try to look at
everyone uniquely and
sometimes it takes that
personal touch to help an
employee.
— Murray Dehn
Vice-President, Human
Resources
Red River Cooperative is
headquartered in Winnipeg and
operates in over 60 locations in
Manitoba under the Co-op brand.
It runs full-service gas stations
and grocery stores, as well as
pharmacies and car washes. It’s
100 per cent locally owned, like
its fellow co-ops across Western
Canada with 330,000 members.
Nearly 99 per cent of employees
are members.
Gaborieau and her fellow
employees enjoy flexible work
Employees at Red River Cooperative raise funds for Fuel Good Day, in support of Manitoba Possible.
hours that not only accommodate
family and educational
commitments but allow workers
from other countries to go back
and visit home for extended
periods of time.
“The largest component of our
employee makeup is our front-line
retail staff, so we choose to build
flexible programs which look at
individual issues,” says Murray
Dehn, vice-president of human
resources.
“We try to look at everyone
uniquely and sometimes it takes
that personal touch to help an
employee.”
That holistic approach is
supported by the co-op’s health
and wellness programs which
have a heavy emphasis on mental
wellness. When Gaborieau walks
into the staff room of her gas
bar, she can put a marker on a
whiteboard indicating whether
she’s having a good day, struggling
or celebrating a milestone. Part
of the Canadian Mental Health
Association’s “Not Myself Today”
campaign, it alerts co-employees
and managers to engage in
conversations around mental
health.
“It makes it easier for people to
reach out. My manager noticed
that some of us were feeling a little
bit stressed lately, so she was able
to help us and provide some good
resources that helped a few people
that might not know where to look
for them,” says Gaborieau.
Red River Cooperative is deeply
rooted in the communities it
operates in. One of Gaborieau’s
greatest joys is the work the
company does to support local
charities. Employees can pick a
beneficiary of their choice and
have donations deducted straight
from their paycheques. Whether
it’s Gaborieau collecting items
from customers for the local food
bank or the gas bar that donated
to Black Bear Rescue Manitoba,
