Categories: Business

Canada's Top 100 Employers

They offer parental leave top-ups, tuition subsidies, flex hours, even private rooms for napping.

by Richard Yerema on Wednesday, October 14, 2009 8:05am - 103 Comments

The Top 100For the ninth year running, Maclean’s has partnered with Toronto publisher Mediacorp to bring you the country’s most comprehensive independent study of workplace benefits. This year, more than 2,600 organizations applied—up 3.7 per cent from last year, and the most applications in the history of the Mediacorp survey.

For each organization, the editors assigned grades in eight key areas: physical workplace; work atmosphere; health, financial and family benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement.

The result is a revealing glimpse into the latest workplace trends—and into how Canada’s best employers are making a difference for their employees. Take a look at this year’s list of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.

The employers, listed below, are not ranked and are classified by industry. They are presented in alphabetical order. Click on each name to see a description.

(X) Indicates number of Canadian full-time employees

CONSUMER SERVICES

Carswell
Compass Group Canada Ltd.
Deeley Harley-Davidson Canada
Fairmont Hotels Inc.
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd.
L’Oréal Canada Inc.
Mars Canada Inc.
Mountain Equipment Co-op
Omni health care LP
Procter & Gamble Inc.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Agriculture Financial Services Corp.
ATB Financial
Assumption Mutual Life Insurance Co.
Bank of Montreal
Business Development Bank of Canada
Capital One Services Inc.
Johnson Inc.
Meridian Credit union
Royal Bank of Canada
Saskatchewan Government Insurance
Toronto-Dominion Bank

RELATED ARTICLES:
A Maclean’s special report: Canada’s Top 100 Employers — Even in tough times, these companies know what it takes to get the most out of their staff and attract the best talent out there
When the going gets tough — Employers are forced to get inventive to lure—and retain—the best and brightest
The war for workers — The public sector is all the rage these days. How can the private sector compete?
Fear factor — Can having a staff scared for their jobs be good for business?

INDUSTRIAL AND RESOURCES

Agrium Inc.
Alberta-Pacific Forest Industries Inc.
BD Canada Inc.
Cameco Corp.
Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.
Ellisdon Corp.
Enbridge Inc.
Goldcorp Inc.
Great Little Box Co. Ltd.
New Flyer Industries Canada ULC
PCL Constructors Inc.
Shell Canada Ltd.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc.
Trican Well Service Ltd.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES & COMMUNICATIONS

Amec Americas Ltd.
Ceridian Canada Ltd.
CH2M Hill Canada Ltd.
Ernst & Young LLP
Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories Inc.
Golder Associates Ltd.
Halifax Herald LTD.
Hill & Knowlton Canada
KPMG LLP
Price­waterhouse­Coopers LLP
Sasktel
Stikeman Elliott LLP
Telus Corp.
Yellow Pages Group

PUBLIC SECTOR AND NON-PROFIT

Office of the Auditor General of Canada
B.C. Hydro
B.C. Lottery Corp.
B.C. Public service
B.C. Safety Authority
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.
Canada Post Corp.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Capital District Health Authority
Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
Export Development Canada
George Brown College
Hamilton Health Sciences Corp.
Information Services Corp. of Saskatchewan
McGill University
N.B. Power
Ontario Power Generation Inc.
Ontario Public service
Queen’s University
Royal B.C. Museum Corp.
Royal Canadian Mint
SaskEnergy Inc.
Simon Fraser University
Statistics Canada
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Toronto Community Housing Corp.
Toronto Hydro Corp.
Vancouver Island Health Authority
City of Vancouver

TECHNOLOGY

Bioware ULC
DeltaWare Systems Inc.
Digital Extremes
Ericsson Canada Inc.
Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Co.
Honeywell Ltd.
MDS Nordion Inc.
MTS Allstream Inc.
Next Level Games Inc.
Research In Motion Ltd.
SAS Institute Canada Inc.
Siemens Canada Inc.
Sophos Inc.
Upside Software Inc.

OTHER

Assoc. of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario
Bayer Inc.
Monsanto Canada Inc.
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.

Compiled by Patricia Treble and Michael Barclay

Tags: , ,

Bookmark and Share
← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • Judy

    It is very difficult to assess a company in regard to benefits and how employees are treated, without surveying a cross-section of employees. The picture always looks prettier to those on the outside looking in. Do I agree with the Top 100 chosen? Off course not.

    ….Judy

  • John

    I am curious how much research you actually did before you rated a company. Did you just take the information supplied to you by the company's HR and take it on face value. Case in point is HP. This is a company that cuts its employee pay even when the company is making a profit. This also a company that continues to lay off people so that they can move the jobs off shore. I believe in some sections of the company they want a 70/30 mix. That is 70% off shore and 30% on shore.This is a company that continues to cut employee benefits while it allows its executives to use its private fleet of planes for personal use. I believe Mark Hurd racked up approx $136,000 in personal use of the planes and another $7,472 in travel expenses for Hurd's family. In fact the taxes the Mark Hurd owes for the private use of the planes is also coverd by HP. Mark has his mortgage, and home security covered by the company while benefits, pay and other employee compensations are cut. I used to work for another company that never made your list but I could go for a dental check up every 3 mths and it was 100% covered. HP is 6 mths and 90%. Sure there is no waiting period but what are the benefits that are offered? In fact I have to buy my own pens since we are no longer allowed to order office supplies.

    • HPer

      I agree. HPs CEO Mark Hurds management style is one of fear and lies. Please remove HP from the list.

      • Guest

        Agreed, this company does one thing after another to ensure the morale is in the toilet

    • HR Professional

      John: As an HR Professional who completes these applications for companies, I can tell you with 100% certainty that they DO NOT survey employees or fact-check. They base the results on applications submitted by the company (corporate HR typically) and then create a list based on their unreleased criteria (ask them for reasons why other than the PR stuff and they clam up quickly). This list is a joke!

  • Comedian

    Bell Canada should also be placed on the worst place to work list. After 31 years of service, I was basically forced to retire…If .I stayed past 2011, I would lose my benefits. Over the past three years, they have been royaly screwing over their employees who now hate the company with a passion. They continue to outsource and micro manage jobs from their head offices in Toronto and they know nothing about the jobs they try to micro manage. They gave ovation awards to managers who out source call centres from Canada to India, causing many Canadians to lose their jobs and alienating many others by their poor service. I was so proud to be an employee when I started in 1978….I never thought I would leave the company on such a low note.

  • blue bird

    This site should include the worst employers. The worst company in Ontario has to be Americredit Corp. You don't have to go to Asia to work in a sweat shop. This call center is a nightmare. They do everything possible to intimidate their employees, they harass them continually all day long. Employees are intimidated into not using the washrooms except on break or lunch, they are given demeaning performance appraisals every month and spoken to in the most condescending manner. You are not allowed to speak with other reps except at breaks and lunch. Most employees are resentful and hate working for this corporation but need jobs so continue to stay. This type of company should be sent back to America where they allow this atrocious corporate behavior. Employees here are constantly sick with nerves and depression. What happened to companies treating their employees with respect and dignity…. Obviously Americredit and a lot of other corporations don't have a clue how to treat their employees these days.

  • the mailman

    Are you kidding me… Canada Post as a top employer !! I work for Canada Post and I ask you, how did it get in the topp 100 ? Never before have I worked in a place where you are treated so badly. The mgmt is in such a mess and out of contact with reality that when my wife ( who works for a top 3 company ) heres about what happens it makes her sick to her stomach. But I forgot it is only mgmt who sends in their reasons to be in the top 100, you never ask the employees. And as for our hockey it was disolved years ago and benefits after retirement cost you so much most of the retires cant afford them.

    • Gert

      I too work for Canada Post and couldn't agree with you more.

    • The Gumshoe

      I do believe you have an annual employee survey where you can spew your venom. As a former employee and happy retiree, I know for a fact that CPC does listen to and resolves many 'ee concerns. However, just like the Titanic, it takes time for a ship this size to turn on a dinghy-sized rudder. I must agree that line management in the delivery environs in many instances are out of control and being so far removed from area managers, they seem to run counter to the corporate plan. More scrutiny in this area would be a prudent move for mgmt at senior levels.

  • Kim

    I am in shock that Omni Heathcare made this list I would like to know who is receiving a nap room ,and in house child care, and top ups to UI and redused summer hours this must be management it sure isn't the employees I personaly think this is BS

  • René

    Interesting and useful article

  • Jane Doe

    I worked for Royal Bank and I was impressed with their corporate culture. However working in the branch I saw employees come in to work on their day off for an hour or two, or in the morning before the branch opened. It seemed to me that in order to do the job the way they wanted it done you needed to put in 4-5 hours extra time/ per week. I am speaking generally now. I have a problem with the pervasive corporate culture of free overtime being mandatory. This is because if you don't do it, someone else will. Everyone is in a Catch22. If you do it, it's not right and you're giving away your life energy to rich exploitative companies and benefiting THIER shareholders, if you don't, your colleague that does work for free will be the one to get promoted. Parents need a nanny or unpaid worker (mother or mother in law) to help raise their kids when employees are expected to work beyond regular business hours regularily.

  • Franz Stranch

    Magna International should have made to #1 in the list (if favoratism was in fact included as a positive count). Let's face it people, you have to be connected period.
    p.s. connection needs to be to the top but rather from your bottom.

  • happy employee

    Research In Motion should be rated number 1. They're amazing to work for.

  • DGW

    Flex Hours is code for 50+ hr work weeks, little recognition and little pay

  • Interested

    I know one that made the list and does not deserve to be there. Like others, I am wondering whether MacLean's takes the word of the marketing department/head of company or whether it actually does on-site examinations/employee surveys. If a company makes this list, then it has an advantage against a union in any later negotiating.

  • marty

    CIty of Vancouver?!!:?

    Hiring freeze, demoralized work force, a huge axe about to swing through it, Olympic Chaos impending…

    god, everyone else's jobs must really suck…

  • beth

    What a joke that Loblaws is in the top 100..I have worked for Zehrs for over 21 years and it was a great work place !! Now that Loblaws have taken over we have gone hill really fast..Doesn't help that the UFCW union is in bed with the company!! This last contract I lost $5.00 an hour because I work on the non food side of the store. I make 13.85 an hour while the fresh side of the store makes 17.00 and over. We lost all sick days, Christmas bonus, Sunday premuim but we have to Sundays along with 2 nights a week. The poor part time kids start off getting great hours until after they are done training and the if they are lucky they might get 6 hours a week..Then the company wonders why we have such a high turn over in staff. I would NOT recommend this company to anyone looking for a job..The morale in the store are so low I don't think they can get any lower, therefore nobody cares about customer service. Also they are pushing PC products or No Name products and not giving the customer choices in what they buy.. Take a look on the shelves and the National Brands are only 2 facings and everything else is pc on no name..TOP WORST COMPANY TO WORK FOR IS LOBLAWS!!

  • Gert

    I can't believe Canada Post made the list again. They are nothing but a slave labour company. Someone who sits behind a desk decides how long it should take to complete a mail route, regardless of volume. You are required to work until finished but only paid for the hours said number cruncher figures it should take you. I work at least 2 hours every day for free and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. I need my job.

    • The Gumshoe

      I have to agree with Gert who is likely employed in the RSMC realm which is a delivery employee w/o the benefits of a regular letter carrier. How can she do the same work as a letter carrier, but based on an arbitrary formula, be paid less?? However, as an employee who delivers via there personal vehicle, I'm not sure that volume should be as much of a criteria than that of an employee who delivers w/o a vehicle. I'm sure this factors into the process.

      • IN the know

        I'm sorry guys but let's be honest here. Canada Post is the only place where you can work an eight hour shift and get paid for 1.75 hours of OT within that eight hour shift. Not to mention that so many employees have second jobs due to the fact that they can finish their 8 hours in 5.5 to 6 hours. And they are not even tired after working SO hard. Hopefully that is all about to change….

  • Sarah C.

    Canadian Blood Services is the worst company to work for. The government should check into their practices. Stressful job and very disorganized company. They do not care about the lives of their employees. Unreal considering the CEO gets paid more than the President of the US.

    If they treated their employees better they might be able to retain them!

    • Susie

      That is for sure – the employees are unfriendly rude and act like bitter a**holes-

  • Kengeta

    What about Onatrio Teacher's Pension Plan board. heard good things but still not sure. Any light?

  • Darren

    Maybe Macleans should actually talk to the employees of the companies they are rating! I'm not talking about upper level management or supervisors…. I'm talking about the ones at the bottom of the totem pole. If you want to find out the truth about a companies culture you need to hear how they treat people at the bottom…. not the ass kissers or head steppers at the top. I know for a fact there are a couple companies on your list that are full of disgruntled employees….

    • Not happy

      I couldn't agree more!!!!!!!!!!

  • The Gumshoe

    Sounds like a disgruntled CUPW employee to me…

    • The Truth Hurts

      Sounds like he might have actually worked there and you haven't. If you did work there and still believe it's a great atomosphere, then you're likely part of the problem.

      It is not a good place to work. The treatment of workers is appalling.

  • The devil

    Canada Safeway is not the same either, they are always trying to get rid of the old staff that been there for years, then they have a hard time trying to hire staff then they quit, we spend time trying to serve our customers then trying to train while working which we should not do. I think head office should do this not us and not getting paid extra for this. The new employees have no respect for the old-timers that have been there for years. But, in my eyes I think that people have to work for a living but it's the employees that make it hard for you so I do not blame people that do not want to work. I also do not agree on these new immigrants coming to Canada and taking all our jobs for cheaper pay stay in your own country. sometimes I do not blame them because you have to make some kind of living but Vancouver is not the same as before back in the 70s and 80s. People now are money hungry and backstabbers (you know who you are). It makes me sick to think it about it. But, being a CDN born and raised here I hate that the CDN people are like sheep, they do not speak out at all. The white man do not work hard and they complain too much, change that. Why does the government let these people in??? Get rid of this government…. we need riots!!! Speak up CANADA!! No wonder I do not care if the world ends, I hope we all go… the whole world all at once!!!! F… U!!!!!!!!!

  • SLS

    Someone has made a terrible mistake and should have consulted the employees since Gamma Dyncare Medical Labs is on this list! The staff turnover is tremendous and the morale in most departments is abominable.

  • Alex

    Walmart is the WORST and always has been as an employer.
    It will probably never change from that.

  • http://www.profenceworks.com Fence Manager

    I used to work for one of these nameless companies and I quit because I thought it was a terrible place to work. Well the joke is on me cause I got a new job and it is far worse than the one i had.

  • Not happy

    I've worked at Belden in Ville st-laurent QC.
    They fire people for NO REASON!!!!!!
    AND THEY ARE VERY SNEAKY ABOUT IT!
    Be carefull, you could thing you're doing a great job, but have no job the day after!!!

    And you will never know why!……

  • amber

    i'm interested reading everything various people have to say about Loblaws….as both my parents have worked for that company their entire lives and both have nothing good to say about that company. both work in store, are both in management positions and both have been fighting for 20 years to keep their jobs as they make too much money. my mother has not taken more than 4-5 sick days in 30 years, has a very strong work ethic, is kind, and service oriented. she brings decrepid stores back from the grave with top national sales…and still, they want to get rid of her and hire only part time people, at 1/3 of the wage to replace her. and with that they can't find anyone williing to take on the demands of the work, practice showing up for shifts, or providing good customer service because they know (i'm sure) that they are being screwed over for no pay, and expected to want to work hard for their employers….
    Loblaws should be ashamed of themselves and be showing up the a different list of employers ratings.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →

Previous

Next

From Macleans