There's no question that both employers and employees faced a wide variety of challenges last year, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite the fact that Canada’s unemployment rose significantly—from 5.6 per cent last year to about 8.6 per cent now—many companies, organizations and industries still managed to make it through 2020 successfully.
On Jan. 26, Forbes honoured 300 of those companies in its annual list of top Canadian employers, including a handful of Vancouver and B.C.-based enterprises. The publication released the 2021 list after partnering with market research firm Statista to compile it. The list was created by surveying more than 8,000 Canadians working for businesses with at least 500 employees, according to Forbes.
Respondents were reportedly asked to rate their willingness to recommend their employers to friends and family, and to nominate organizations other than their own. "To determine the list, Statista surveyed more than 8,000 Canadians working for businesses with at least 500 employees. All the surveys were anonymous, allowing participants to openly share their opinions," explained Forbes writer Kristin Stoller in the article.
The final list ranks the 300 employers that received the most recommendations from respondents. The country's top three employers this year, according to Forbes' list, are Cisco Systems, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Ubisoft, ranked from first to third, respectively.
The top-ranked B.C. employer on this year's list is the University of Victoria, coming in at No. 12.
Other post-secondary institutions were named near the top of the list, with Burnaby's Simon Fraser University (SFU) coming in at No. 32, and the University of British Columbia ranked 61st.
Numerous government branches also earned spots, with the City of Vancouver ranking 42nd and the Government of British Columbia taking the No. 142 spot.
Closely following SFU was Vancouver's Newmont Corporation Construction. It took 35th place, while Intel Semiconductors was named in the 48th spot.
Other familiar corporations were recognized on the list, including BC Hydro Utilities (No. 82), Cactus Club Restaurants (No. 196), Lululemon Athletica (223), A&W (No. 241), HSBC Holdings (No. 251) and Telus (No. 238).
As you might expect, health care was one industry that had a particularly busy year. Several of B.C.'s health authority made the cut, including Fraser Health (No. 194), Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (No. 204), Providence Health Care (No. 225) and Provincial Health Services Authority (No. 282).
Other B.C.-based companies named among the country's top employers were MDA Aerospace & Defense (No. 90), Paladin Security Business Services & Supplies (No. 100), Pharmasave Retail and Wholesale (No. 108), Teck Resources (No. 263) and The Rosedale Group (No. 288).
