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Red River Cooperative has strong support for wellness

Abby 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.”

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 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, no charity is too small to receive help.

“In 2025, we provided $2.6 million in community support to over 100 organizations in our local area,” says Dehn.

“The nice part is that some of the charities are small ones like dog and cat shelters which may not be recognized by a larger corporation and go under the radar. But we’re locally focused and we love helping out the smaller charities as much as the larger ones.”

Giving to community and giving to employees has created a work culture that is constantly striving to get better, says Gaborieau.

“The co-op is always trying to improve and always take that step forward to reach out to staff and see what they can do differently and what they can improve,” says Gaborieau.

“It’s never staying at the same point. They’re always trying to move forward. I love that.”