Young at heart isn't enough. All of Canada's Top Employers for Young People have work forces whose average age is 40 and younger.
Organized by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers, this special category recognizes the companies that offer the nation's best benefits for younger workers. Each employer is evaluated according to the programs they use to attract and retain young talent. Key benefits include tuition assistance and the availability of co-op or work-study programs, mentorship and training programs and career management programs. Other important elements to a young work force are top-ups on maternity leave, immediate health benefits and generous annual vacations starting after one year. The judges also recognized initiatives such as on-campus recruiting and summer student programs.
Employers of any size, in the private or public sector, may apply for this competition, as long as the company has its head office or main place of business in Canada.
airG Inc. , Vancouver. Cellular telecommunications; 119 employees. Offers alternative or flexible work options.
Airline Hotels & Resorts Ltd., Saskatoon; 543 employees. Provides subsidies for professional accreditations.
Alberta Blue Cross, Edmonton. Direct medical insurance carriers; 825 employees. No waiting period for health benefits.
ATB Financial, Edmonton. Credit unions; 4,044 employees. Provides mentorship program.
Barrett Xplore Inc., Woodstock, N.B. Internet service providers; 424 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
Bayer CropScience Canada Inc., Calgary. Agricultural chemical manufacturing; 258 employees. Offers three weeks annual starting paid vacation after one year.
Bluewave Energy Limited Partnership, Dartmouth, N.S. Petroleum products merchant wholesalers; 400 employees. Offers co-op internship opportunities.
Cactus Restaurants Ltd., Vancouver; 2,016 employees. Conducts on-campus recruitment.
Canad Inns, Winnipeg. Hotels; 1,363 employees. Offers career planning services.
Cargill Ltd., Winnipeg. Oils and grains farming; 7,736 employees. Offers maternity leave top-up to 100 per cent for eight weeks.
Club Intrawest, Vancouver. Hotels; 450 employees. Provides orientation program for new hires.
Corus Entertainment Inc., Toronto. TV broadcasting; 1,994 employees. Provides mentorship program.
DeltaWare Systems Inc., Charlottetown. Custom computer programming services; 91 employees. Offers co-op internships.
Digital Extremes, London. Computer programming; 96 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
Ericsson Canada Inc., Montreal. Radio and TV broadcasting and wireless equipment manufacturing; 1,734 employees. No waiting period for health benefits.
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Toronto; 8,643 employees. Offers tuition subsidies and in-house courses for staff.
GAP Adventures Inc., Toronto. Tour operators; 133 employees. Offers summer job opportunities.
Golder Associates Ltd., Burnaby, B.C. Engineering services; 2,541 employees. Provides leadership development program.
HSBC Bank Canada, Vancouver. Banking; 7,667 employees. Conducts on-campus recruitment programs.
L'Oréal Canada Inc., Montreal. Toiletry product manufacturing; 1,200 employees. Provides maternity leave top-up to 100 per cent for 17 weeks for mothers and adoptive parents.
Loblaw Cos. Ltd., Brampton, Ont. Grocery stores; 31,670 employees. Offers co-op internships.
Lush Handmade Cosmetics Ltd., Vancouver. Toiletry product manufacturing; 381 employees. Provides subsidies for professional accreditations.
Mars Canada Inc., Bolton, Ont. Confectionery manufacturing; 472 employees. Provides three weeks of paid vacation to start and operates a unique vacation purchase program.
McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Ltd., Toronto; 4,800 employees. Provides leadership development program.
Corporation of the City of Mississauga, Ont. Legislative bodies; 3,729 employees. Provides mentorship program.
Next Level Games Inc., Vancouver. Computer programming; 95 employees. Subsidizes fitness club memberships and provides free ski passes to nearby Cypress Mountain.
Open Text Corp., Waterloo, Ont. Computer programming; 1,083 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
Pelmorex Media Inc., Oakville, Ont. TV broadcasting; 296 employees. Provides subsidies for professional accreditations.
Point2 Technologies Inc., Saskatoon. Computer systems design; 118 employees. Offers three weeks annual starting paid vacation after one year.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Toronto. Certified Public Accountants; 6,048 employees. Encourages employee volunteerism through a team volunteering day.
Radialpoint Safecare Inc., Montreal. Computer programming; 164 employees. Conducts on-campus recruitment.
Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd., Vancouver. Engineering services; 316 employees. Provides orientation program for new hires.
Research in Motion (RIM) , Waterloo, Ont. Wireless communications equipment manufacturing; 8,576 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
Rogers Communications Inc., Toronto. Cable and other subscription programming; 23,432 employees. No waiting period for health benefits.
RSM Richter Chamberland, Montreal. Certified Public Accountants; 445 employees. Offers career planning services.
Saskatchewan Gaming Corp., Regina; 518 employees. Provides leadership development program.
Smart Technologies Inc., Calgary. Computer systems design; 1,231 employees. Offers co-op internships.
Starbucks Coffee Canada, Toronto; 1,885 employees. Offers alternative or flexible work options.
Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto; 68 employees. Provides orientation program for new hires.
Sybase Canada Ltd., Waterloo, Ont. Computer programming; 226 employees. Conducts on-campus recruitment.
Taleo Corp., Quebec City. Computer programming; 325 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
TD Bank Financial Group, Toronto. Banking; 37,088 employees. Provides leadership development program.
Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto; 115 employees. Offers alternative or flexible work options.
Trican Well Service Ltd., Calgary. Support activities for oil and gas industries; 1,486 employees. Provides maternity leave top-up to 100 per cent for 52 weeks.
True North Sports and Entertainment Ltd., Winnipeg. Promoters of performing arts; 109 employees. Provides subsidies for professional accreditations.
Upside Software Inc., Edmonton. Computer programming; 149 employees. Offers a relaxed work environment in which Nerf gun fights and toy car racing are celebrated activities.
Vancity Group, Vancouver. Credit unions; 1,954 employees. Conducts on-campus recruitment. See the story at Luring young talent sets stage for future
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre; 207 employees. Provides tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions.
WestJet Airlines Ltd., Calgary; 5,182 employees. Provides mentorship program.
YMCA of Greater Toronto; 1,338 employees. Provides leadership development program.