Finding right fit Canadian Footwear wants staff to balance work, life

With its familiar slogan We Fit You, Canadian Footwear is not only making a promise to customers, but also offering a pledge to the 100 people the company employs, says president Brian Scharfstein.

“When people come to work with us, I try to meet with them at some point to discuss that if they cannot fulfil what they want to do through what we’re doing, then they really shouldn’t be here,” he says. “Because we’re very focused on lifestyle and life balance, it is just as essential that our people believe we are the right fit for them as they are for us. When they go home at the end of the day, they need to feel good about where they’ve been.”

Bottom-of-barrel salaries in city may repel talent

Winnipeggers earn the lowest salaries among residents of Canada’s largest cities — and this poor compensation may be keeping workers away.

In 2009, the average Winnipeg salary was $38,050, according to Conference Board of Canada data. The same year, workers in 12 other Canadian cities the board surveyed earned higher salaries, with Alberta leading the way.

In Calgary, the average wage was $60,520 in 2009 and in Edmonton, it was $54,370. But workers outside of the oilpatch also earned more than Winnipeggers, creating a gap that may hamper this city’s
economic growth.