New Flyer Named to Top 100 Employers in Canada

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; October 19, 2005; New Flyer Industries Inc., the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit vehicles in Canada and the United States, has been selected as one of the top 100 employers in Canada.

Maclean's magazine has published a cover story on this year's competition in their October 24 issue, which will appear on newsstands this week. This achievement is particularly notable, given the record number of employers considered for the award. Mediacorp Canada Inc., publisher of the book Canada’s Top 100 Employers, reviewed the recruitment histories of over 55,000 employers across Canada, and developed a list of outstanding employers that lead their industries in attracting and retaining quality employees. The companies were evaluated based on seven key attributes: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; and (7) Training & Skills Development. In addition, charitable efforts and community involvement were also examined, since a strong correlation has been observed between charitable work and how an employer treats its own employees.

"To be a leader and an innovator in our industry, you must attract and retain the best people," said New Flyer President and CEO John Marinucci. "New Flyer offers a working environment focused on health, safety and quality, so our people can focus on the business of building the most innovative and reliable buses in the industry."

According to Janice Harper, Director, Human Resources at New Flyer, the company’s success in this area is derived from a number of factors including an increase in community involvement and development of industry-leading management systems. "New Flyer firmly believes that employers who take a broader view of their community responsibilities are almost always better places to work."

She also credits a corporate focus on workplace practices as key to New Flyer’s recognition in this year’s rankings. Noteworthy workplace practices at New Flyer include unique employment opportunities, company-paid benefits, numerous social and fundraising events, company recognition of safety achievements and distinctive continuing education and professional development. "The fact is, the company already had excellent benefit programs and innovative workplace policies. But, we have been more successful in promoting ourselves within the company and in our recruitment activities, which has allowed us to recruit and maintain a high quality employee base. And as a result of our workplace programs, we have been rewarded with lower-than-industry average turnover rates, which is a significant advantage to New Flyer’s business," said Ms. Harper.

This recognition as a leading employer in Canada positively positions New Flyer with its current and prospective employees.