Manitoba’s Top Employers 2025 – Winnipeg Free Press

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Manitoba’s Top Employers: 2025 Winners

9 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Winning companies exemplify an inclusive and caring culture

One of the best team-building activities Margaret Proven, executive vice president, human resources at Pollard Banknote Limited, ever participated in was building the company’s first Pride float to show support for the LGBTQ+ community in Winnipeg.

“It was a labor of love that brought our team closer together,” says Pollard. “It took months of preparation with over 100 employees volunteering their time after work. We had never done a float before, but we have lots of creative people.”

Community involvement is a top priority for Manitoba’s Top Employers (2025), published by Mediacorp Canada. Many offer employees paid time off to volunteer, as well as matching donations and partnering with charities in the communities they serve.

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Astronaut Jeremy Hansen visits Magellan Aerospace, Winnipeg, to discuss the upcoming Artemis launch with the team.

Employees aim for the stars at Magellan Aerospace

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Employees aim for the stars at Magellan Aerospace

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

When making a major career course correction, Julie Robichaud did the math. She calculated that a job at Magellan Aerospace, Winnipeg would give her wings to soar to new and higher professional goals.

“I had just come out of 10 years in hospitality and decided to switch gears, so I started at Magellan at three days a week and they quickly moved me to five days,” says Robichaud.

“It’s been great. The company is very good about giving me the educational and other supports I need to succeed and to grow.”

Magellan Aerospace is a global company that designs, engineers and manufactures aeroengine and aerostructure components for the aerospace and space markets. Located in Winnipeg, the company’s employees build everything from complex aircraft assemblies to satellite buses.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Employees at Transcona Roofing work on a rooftop during installation.

At Transcona Roofing, employees feel they’re valued

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At Transcona Roofing, employees feel they’re valued

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

When Corina Ngan Tian began as a service coordinator at Transcona Roofing Ltd. in 2022, she quickly saw the opportunity for improvements in customer service. That soon propelled her into the service manager position. She had the expertise to take the company to the next level.

“I saw the department was in need of processes and procedures to improve efficiencies and customer service,” says Ngan Tian. “I also recognized the potential for the department and the team members who worked in it.”

Transcona Roofing, headquartered in Winnipeg, offers its services throughout Manitoba and into northwestern Ontario. It is a full-service roofing and waterproofing contractor for the installation, repair and maintenance of roofs on industrial, commercial and institutional buildings.

As service manager, “I oversee the operations of the service department, coordinating the needs of the customers and the field and office staff while meeting the needs of the business,” Ngan Tian says. “This encompasses customer and staff relations, administration, business development, sales, inventory and other needs.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Employees at Manitoba Blue Cross make 50 beds for local children in support of Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

At Manitoba Blue Cross, the ‘heartbeat’ is its people

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At Manitoba Blue Cross, the ‘heartbeat’ is its people

4 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

In 2009, Amanda Slater joined Winnipeg-based Manitoba Blue Cross as a claims adjuster right out of university. The organization was the provider for her family’s health benefits, so she knew it had a good reputation. Before she applied for the position, she happened to drive past the head office building at night. “It was all lit up and looked so impressive,” she says. “I thought, that would be a cool place to work!”

Back then, Slater was simply hoping to find an employer that would keep her busy and help her get by financially. “Little did I know that this ‘in-between’ job would lead to a long, fulfilling career and a team that feels just like family,” she says.

Over the years, Slater has benefited from taking industry-related courses and educational programs covered in part or fully by the organization’s tuition reimbursement program. That led to promotions, including her most recent in 2022, to a business analyst in the project management office. “This training proved invaluable,” she says.

Manitoba Blue Cross offers unlimited LinkedIn learning and any job-related courses, free of charge. All employees, from new hires to senior leaders, also benefit from internal mentorship. “We invest in our people because they’re the heartbeat of our organization, and we want to retain them,” says president and CEO Benjamin Graham.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Pollard Banknote Limited supports the professional development of its employees, offering a range of training opportunities both internal and external.

Pollard Banknote: a close-knit culture amid growth

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Pollard Banknote: a close-knit culture amid growth

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Pedro Melo has been working at Pollard Banknote Limited for eight years, but he’s considered a newcomer compared to many of his colleagues, who are members of the 25-year club at the Winnipeg-based manufacturer of lottery and charitable gaming products.

“There are more than 200 members in that club, and we expect another 40 to join in 2025,” says Melo, executive vice-president of information technology and digital at Pollard. “I think that’s a sign of how well we treat our employees, and the sense of belonging that people feel here. It’s a close-knit group.”

Melo is proud of the way the company has been able to maintain that feeling through rapid growth that has meant tripling the number of tech employees over the past six years.

“We started as a secure printing company more than 100 years ago, and today we’re a global leader in technology and print innovation,” he says. “That evolution attracts talent and creates opportunities for employees to grow their careers. And with technology ever changing, we’re focusing on training our staff.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Selvin Peter, associate professor, at University College of the North

UCN goes deep with training and development

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UCN goes deep with training and development

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Selvin Peter loves teaching at the University College of the North (UCN). He's been there 28 years, since UCN was a community college. It became UCN in 2004 and Peter is an associate professor in the faculty of arts, business and science.

“Teaching is exactly my passion. I get excited about teaching,” Peter says. “It’s also nice to hear back from my students. They say, ‘Your class relaxes us.’ I teach math – I don’t know how much it relaxes them!”

UCN, based in The Pas and Thompson, promotes further education and advancement not only for students but for its instructors and professors. Peter had his PhD in chemical engineering when he joined the college, and he advanced through business and technology and served as dean of trades and technology. But his heart was in the classroom.

“Then there was an opportunity on the university side to teach and I just love teaching,” says Peter.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Employees at Wawanesa take part in the organization’s annual tree planting initiative in Winnipeg.

Wawanesa Insurance cultivates inclusion and belonging

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Wawanesa Insurance cultivates inclusion and belonging

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Pri Mediwake heard good things from several individuals about Winnipeg-based Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company before joining the organization last August. After coming aboard, she was delighted to discover the company’s culture is just as she heard — welcoming and inclusive.

“We’re a mutual insurance company that exists for the benefit of our members,” says Mediwake, manager of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. “The people who work here care deeply about supporting our members and one another.”

The company’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) is reflected in its new, 21-storey, environmentally-sustainable headquarters in downtown Winnipeg, which opened in March 2024.

“People want to work in a place that’s inclusive, considers belonging and has a stance on what diversity means for the company,” says Lisa Osachoff, senior vice-president and chief people and culture officer. “Our headquarters is a state-of-the-art, inclusive building designed to be accessible and meet the highest standards for employee well-being.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Safety comes first at Riverview Health Centre

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Safety comes first at Riverview Health Centre

4 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

“Were we safe today? Are we going to be safe tomorrow? Do we have any safety concerns?” Cherie-Ann Sheppard says those are the questions often asked at the beginning of staff safety huddles at Riverview Health Centre Inc. in Winnipeg. The daily huddles, lasting 10-15 minutes, allow staff to come together and discuss safety issues, share best practices and identify areas for improvement.

Set on a beautifully landscaped 24 acres, Riverview provides specialized inpatient, outpatient and outreach services, including rehabilitation, palliative care, dementia care, complex respiratory care, personal care and adult day programs. As safety coordinator, Sheppard works with staff to create awareness about any hazards and address any concerns that arise, as well as dealing with policies and procedures to make sure Riverview follows all legislative requirements and standards for safety.

Preventing injury is key. Typically, musculoskeletal injuries occur when staff are lifting and transferring patients or residents from their beds or wheelchairs. Additionally, jobs in housekeeping and shipping require bending and lifting, so it’s very physical.

"We fit the job to the employee, not the employee to the job,” says Sheppard. “We try to remove any hazards and bring in lifts or portable stands where we can to reduce strain. We also provide employees with training on using proper body mechanics and safe work practices, and post signs in a fun way as reminders just to keep on top of it.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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The University of Manitoba offers employees a wide range of career options and opportunities for growth.

Expanding horizons at the University of Manitoba

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Expanding horizons at the University of Manitoba

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Change is baked right into Ghislaine Alleyne’s job description. Every day brings new challenges and there’s no such thing as the same old routine. And she wouldn’t have it any other way as she helps transform the University of Manitoba as specialist, organizational excellence and change management.

“There’s so much happening at the university and I love helping people move through changes so that they’re successful,” says Alleyne.

“I get to meet a lot of different people and see a lot of different parts of the university. There’s an amazing amount of variety and I’m not in any one particular place for very long – I like that.”

The University of Manitoba has over 5,000 full-time and another 5,000 part-time employees working at two main campuses in Winnipeg (Fort Garry and Bannatyne) as well as satellite campuses across the province. A leading Canadian research institution, it has 13 faculties, four schools and nine colleges.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba celebrates the diversity of its staff and the community it operates in.

Long-term careers are the goal at the WCB of Manitoba

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Long-term careers are the goal at the WCB of Manitoba

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

If you were looking for proof that the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) knows how to keep employees happy, you only need to talk to Sarah Kekkonen, supervisor of document management. She began her career there after high school on just a two-week term to relabel files.

“I started in our records department, and I’ve had about 12 different positions in my career, so they’ve offered a lot of room to expand and learn new skill sets,” she says. “Twenty-four years later I’m still here!"

“They have a great benefit package,” Kekkonen says, “which helps me afford to raise my children. Wages are fair and competitive. They offer professional development and educational reimbursement, so they’ll create learning plans, and you can reach your career goals in the organization.”

Career planning is a major reason why people like Kekkonen end up having such long careers at the WCB, says Brad Janzen, vice president of legal, compliance and corporate services.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Manitoba Hydro provides integrated electricity and natural gas distribution services throughout the province.

Employee groups are key to inclusion at Manitoba Hydro

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Employee groups are key to inclusion at Manitoba Hydro

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

To celebrate Black History Month 2024, Manitoba Hydro reached out to employees to provide ideas and support in coordinating a full month of events. The programming proved innovative, and included a charity drive, a Black Cultural Market featuring Black-owned businesses, and a potluck where participants brought in cultural dishes from around the world to share.

It was a milestone celebration, and it led to the creation of a new employee resource group (ERG) at Manitoba Hydro focused on supporting its Black community. The Black Employee Resource Group, or BERG as it is popularly known, was officially launched last fall.

“Employee resource groups are an opportunity for people to come together, to share their experiences, their values, their insights,” says Jon Ryman, director of people, planning and strategy at Manitoba Hydro. “It’s important that we support the opportunity to have that cultural inclusion. The end result is a more diverse, equitable workforce, which is a great thing.”

Currently Manitoba Hydro operates six ERGs, including BERG. The first was the Indigenous sharing circle that started in 2012 and is now joined by groups for 2SLGBT+, dubbed Hydro Pride, Asian and Pacific Islanders (API), and two women’s ERGs, including one for women in trades. A seventh ERG based around employees with disabilities will be launching this year.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Employees at Red River Cooperative share a laugh while at work.

Red River Co-op goes the extra mile for staff

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Red River Co-op goes the extra mile for staff

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

When days got shorter and temperatures plunged, employees at the gas bars and supermarkets of Red River Cooperative were visited by teams from the company’s human resources and management teams. It’s one of several ways to pull staff from all over Red River’s many Manitoba locations closer together.

Blue Monday is the winter employee appreciation program designed to give morale a boost during the toughest stretch of the retail year. Murray Dehn, vice-president of human resources, describes bringing “coffee and hot chocolate — just as a reminder that hey, we’re thinking about you today.

“This initiative highlighted our employee and family assistance program, allowing us to emphasize the importance of mental health support for our workforce and their loved ones.”

For Deb Choate, a supervisor cashier at Red River’s Lagimodiere gas bar, it’s the sort of thing that makes it such a “great Canadian company.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Employees at Arctic Co-operatives Limited attend a trade show together.

Arctic Co-operatives prioritizes employee wellness

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Arctic Co-operatives prioritizes employee wellness

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

As vice-president, merchandising and logistics, at Winnipeg-based Arctic Co-operatives Limited, Robin Buchanan is responsible for procuring products for 33 independently owned and operated co-op businesses across Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon. And while that job can be stressful given the challenges of transport in the North, there’s a reason why she has stayed for eight years.

“I think the core reason is the pride we take in what we’re doing and the camaraderie we have within the organization,” she says. “We have stressful situations that come up on a regular basis, and we work as a team to get through them. We’re all on the same side, and we get there together.”

Arctic, a federation owned by the co-ops it serves, has a number of ways it supports its 140 home office employees, including an inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility committee and a leadership training program that Buchanan was able to take herself.

“It’s a great course,” she says. “It shows people how to build each other up and work toward a common goal. We also have the Co-op Learning Centre, which offers courses on human rights issues as well as on using different systems. If an individual wants to go further in the organization or change their career path, we’re here to support them.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Travis Thomas, chef, food services, at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School.

St. John’s-Ravenscourt School offers excellence to all

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St. John’s-Ravenscourt School offers excellence to all

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Travis Thomas always felt like the leadership at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School valued its employees, but he saw how true this is during the pandemic.

“When schools had to close in March 2020, being an hourly employee, I was essentially in a layoff position. The school chose to pay us right through to our regular layoff date at the end of June,” says Thomas, a chef in the food services department. “I don’t think many employers would continue to pay employees when they didn’t have to. It really made me see how this is a company that wants to take care of us.”

Thomas has worked in the Winnipeg independent school’s kitchen for 38 years and says he especially enjoys training new hires. “But it’s not just in the kitchen,” he says. “I could walk out of this office and see any administrator or any teacher and have a conversation. The camaraderie is unreal.”

Thomas also appreciates the school’s generous benefits package, which includes a coveted defined benefit pension plan, which provides a predictable amount of income at retirement based on an employee’s salary and years of service. This differs from today’s more common defined contribution pension plan, where the final pension amount depends on the value of contributions and investment growth.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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Red River Mutual Insurance Company offers its employees paid community days to volunteer for local charitable initiatives.

Red River Mutual celebrates a culture of caring

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Red River Mutual celebrates a culture of caring

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

A recent thank-you letter confirmed that Brent Barker had made the right choice when he joined Red River Mutual as an insurance claims adjuster three years ago. The letter came from a client who had filed a typical claim. “They were underinsured, and we helped take care of them,” Barker recalls. But he was unprepared for the effusive thanks offered by the client.

“It was a glowing report about how we had helped them through a bad time. It felt great to be working in an environment where you get to help people like that.”

For more than 20 years, Barker worked as an independent claims adjuster — a freelancer who investigates insurance claims for companies across Manitoba and beyond. He made the switch to Red River Mutual, becoming a full-time employee with the company, to find more stability in his life. “Working independently for billable hours was a grind,” he admits. “Moving to Red River gave me the opportunity to work 9 to 5, to have benefits and start living a more scheduled life.”

But there was something else that his new employer offered that reduced stress even more: a work culture focused on helping clients and fellow employees. “The philosophy at Red River is to find a way to pay a claim and not try to nickel and dime our clients,” says Barker. “They really try to move claims forward, which makes it feel less adversarial and reduces stress. We’re trying to help, and that feels good.”

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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A Winnipeg Airports Authority safety team member at their desk.

For Winnipeg Airports Authority, safety is a core value

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For Winnipeg Airports Authority, safety is a core value

3 minute read Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

Since 2022, when Nick Hays became CEO of the Winnipeg Airports Authority Inc. (WAA), the spotlight has increasingly been trained on the employee experience, says Katelyn Costa-Sale, manager, human resources. “In the past few years, we’ve really learned from the workforce what was important to them and their values, and we realigned and repositioned our vision, mission and values statements.”

One effect has been a redefinition of safety and a renewed emphasis on it, to the extent it comes first when WAA sets out its core values: safety, respect, teamwork, inclusion and excellence. “Our focus now is on the employees and ensuring that everybody is safe within the work environment, not just physically but psychologically,” says Costa-Sale.

WAA offers a wide array of employee benefits and perks, including flex days (paid time off to attend to family or personal needs), strong mental health resources, ongoing professional advancement support, and enhanced pay for parental leave (maternal, paternal and adoptive).

But the holistic approach to safety has been particularly significant, according to health and safety specialist Phoenix Li. “In workplaces, it used to be ‘park your feelings at the door,’ as my father would put it,” says Li.

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Friday, Mar. 6, 2026

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