Where to shop for kids' shoes from Canadian brands

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I went shoe shopping with my daughter – again. I truly never realized just how quickly children grow out of shoes. As a first time mom I was quick to blame myself and wonder if I was just buying too small a size each time. or maybe my daughters feet grew quickly. It turns out this is just the norm with kids.

According to the Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine, “On average children’s feet grow two sizes per year in the first four years of life and one size per year thereafter until growth is complete. However, this does vary. Ideally you should check every 8 weeks.” 

In addition to regularly checking to make sure their shoes fit properly, there are also a ton of other factors to consider when buying kids’ shoes. Since children’s feet are still growing it is best to opt for flexible footwear that is still protective. This means shoes that have flexible soles, a wider toe box that is rounded, a supportive heel cup and lightweight materials that aren’t too bulky. This allows for natural foot movement and leaves enough space for toes to spread out, but with enough protection to support the child and prevent falls.

So before your next shoe purchase (which I’m sure will be sooner than later) check out these Canadian kids’ shoe brands to make the task easier. You can also check out our guide to Canadian shoe brands for adults.

Quick summary of the best Canadian kids shoe brands

Native shoes – British Columbia
Kamik – Montreal
Jan & Jul – British Columbia
Baffin shoes – Ontario
Stonz – British Columbia
Soft Moc – Ontario
Vessi – British Columbia

Best Canadian kids shoe brands summary, explained

Native Shoes

About: Known for their extremely lightweight shoes, Native Shoes was founded in Vancouver in 2009 and designed to keep up with children on the move. Available in various styles, many of the shoes are made from EVA waterproof material, so they can be used casually or as water shoes. They are also easy to clean and odour-resistant.
Where to buy:Native Shoes | Amazon | DSW | Foot Locker

Kamik

About: Founded in Montreal in the 1890s, Kamik produces durable, high-quality footwear in Quebec. The founder’s initial vision was to create boots that could keep families comfortable, protected and withstand the harsh Canadian conditions. Now, while they offer much more than that, the vision is still intact. Each pair is weather-ready and provides comfort no matter the conditions.
Where to buy:DSW | The Shoe Company | Amazon | Kamik

Jan & Jul

About: A family-owned business located in British Columbia that creates comfortable, stylish gear to help families get outdoors — rain or shine. With kids’ footwear available for pre-walking babies and up, each pair is high quality, breathable, lightweight and flexible.
Where to buy:Amazon | Jan & Jul

Baffin

About: Baffin was founded in 1979 in Ontario. Aiming to provide the best-in-class cold-climate protection, which includes their kids boots, each pair is put to the test to ensure it will deliver warmth, durability, comfort and protection against the cold.
Where to buy:Baffin | MEC

Stonz

About: Founded by an expectant mom in Vancouver who loved the outdoors, Stonz makes outdoor playtime easy for children and parents alike. Offering boots, shoes and booties for children 0-6 years old, each pair is designed with comfort and convenience in mind. The footwear is also long-lasting, made from non-toxic materials and doctor-recommended.
Where to buy:Stonz | Amazon | Well.ca

SoftMoc

About: What began as a shoe cart in 1990 (known as “The Canadian Moccasin Company” in the Toronto Eaton Centre) is now known as SoftMoc and has over 100 locations across Canada. The retailer still sells moccasins along with many other footwear options for adults and kids. Although they carry various brands, they also have their own SoftMoc footwear brand with quite the variety of styles.
Where to buy:Soft Moc

Vessi

About: Created by three Vancoverites who were fed up with all the wet socks from the rainy days. They set out to create a sneaker that was actually waterproof and would allow them to walk through the rain without water seeping through. Known for waterproof footwear that is flexible, breathable and soft, Vessi offers sneakers and rain boots for kids that are easy to take on and off.
Where to buy:Vessi | MEC

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