Regence Footwear Inc.

Regence Footwear Inc. is a company that designs, develops, and markets outdoor footwear and safety boots, shoes and shoe covers. Its products are aimed at both professionals and members of the public.

Its portfolio includes a variety of brands that it has acquired over the years. As of 2018, Regence Footwear is the owner of Wilkuro, Oshatoes, STC and Acton, in addition to being the Canadian distributor of Cofra and Dunlop.

Regence Footwear used to own a fashion division that included brands like Blondo and College, but the division’s assets were sold off in 2015.

The company was founded in Quebec City in 1979 by Henri Bergeron and his wife Adrienne Arnaud. In 1994, they handed the reins to their son Christian, who became the CEO. The founders’ grandson, Alexandre Bergeron, is also involved in the family business as head of the research and development team.

Since the closure of Regence Footwear’s Canadian factory in 2005, all products are now manufactured outside the country, primarily in China. However, the design work is still done in the company’s Quebec City headquarters on de l’Argon Street, which employs some 90 people. Regence Footwear distributes its various brands in approximately 1,000 stores in Canada and the United States.