The businesses that have been rated as the top 10 businesses to work for in Canada by the Financial Post strive to balance the priorities of work and life for their employees. The Canadian labor market has become highly competitive, and the desire to make the Post's list is great. For this particular honor, only private sector employers were compared to each other — government entities were not eligible. For a company to qualify as one of the top 10 businesses to work for in Canada, it had to achieve the truly artful balance of high profitability, excellent employee benefits, and a good balance between work and life.

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	Boeing has made a mark by developing a diverse workforce and supporting any needs its employees may have.

Criteria Reviewed

To be selected for this prestigious honor, a company had to be growing rapidly in the sector in which it competes. That alone, however, was not enough. The Post’s editors then looked at how the given company handles retention of its top talent, as well as at how the company recruits employees. Ultimately, every company was compared on the same eight criteria, namely, community involvement; training and skill development; performance management; employee/employer communications; time off and vacations; health, family, and financial benefits; social and work atmosphere; and the physical workplace.

Bioware Corp.

Bioware Corp. is in the business of developing video games for both computers and game consoles such as the Xbox and PlayStation. One of the most interesting points about this company is that it encourages a social atmosphere by calling for casual dress every day. The company also recognizes the importance of family life for its game developers by having an onsite theater in which employees and their families are able to enjoy movie nights.

While Bioware Corp. is responsible for a string of successful games, they still give employees an extended time off between Christmas and New Year’s, as well as three weeks of paid vacation. What’s more, every time Bioware successfully releases a new game, employees enjoy an extra week off.

Boeing Canada Technology Ltd., Winnipeg Division

The Winnipeg Division of Boeing Canada is responsible for manufacturing high-tech aerospace composites used in aircraft parts and auxiliary equipment. The division has been creating new jobs at a rapid rate to support the development of all Boeing aircraft.
Boeing has made a mark by developing a diverse work population and supporting the needs that its employees may have. Boeing provides Blackberries to deaf workers to help them communicate with their fellow employees. They also provide a wide selection of alternative work options for new mothers. For their foreign-trained employees, they provide monetary support for educational equivalency programs, and for all employees, they provide tuition subsidies for class work at outside educational institutions.

CAE Inc.

CAE Inc. is also a major player in the aerospace and defense industry. They lead the world in simulation technologies, as well as supporting training of both civil and defense forces worldwide.

CAE is leading the way by recognizing employees’ foreign credentials and educational equivalences, and they also reimburse employees for class work that is needed to earn such equivalences. Furthermore, the company also encourages extending employee experiences through a selection of career opportunities around the world. CAE is a top 10 business in Canada because they recognize that technology is changing rapidly and that their workforce needs to be trained to meet emerging needs.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts

The Fairmont Hotels and Resorts operate the largest group of luxury resorts and hotels in North America. One of the reasons they are among the top 10 businesses in Canada to work for is that even though the company is working in a highly competitive market, they are still able to create an exceptional work environment.

They offer courses to their staff on a wide variety of subjects, from finance to food preparation. They also support career advancement through online job postings. They also encourage retention of their employees through a traditional pension plan to help employees save for their retirements. The company also cares for the environment through an extensive (and profitable) recycling program.

Golder Associates Ltd.

Golder Associates provides consulting in engineering for environmental services and engineering worldwide. One of the reasons that Golder Associates is one of the top 10 businesses in Canada is their commitment to employee growth and well-being through a variety of programs.

New employees start with three weeks of vacation per year. The company also provides additional leave for both parental and adoptive reasons. Golder Associates helps employees develop their careers as well through an employee exchange program involving all of the 140 countries in which they currently provide consulting services. They also offer profit sharing to all employees.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

PwC Canada has achieved their top 10 business rank through their diversity and leadership programs, as well as through their excellent developmental opportunities. The company has extensive development programs for employees, as well as offering global opportunities.

PwC Canada also supports employees through birth and adoption benefits, and they also offer a variety of non-traditional work programs as needed based on employee special needs

Many of the top 10 businesses to work for in Canada owe much of their success to taking care of their employees and keeping them happy at work.

Research In Motion Limited / RIM

Research In Motion (RIM) is most famous for developing and selling the Blackberry. This member of the top 10 businesses to work for in Canada is known worldwide, as their products are used by a majority of companies and executives to stay in touch through innovative mobile communications.

While RIM may be best known for cutting-edge advances in technology, they also provide a very supportive atmosphere for their employees. Research In Motion has well-established recognition programs for their workers, as well as generous educational and family support opportunities.

Suncor Energy Inc.

Suncor Energy specializes in natural gas and crude petroleum extraction. They are a leading integrated energy company that is also developing wind power projects and growing extremely rapidly.

Suncor offers its employees both paid vacation and 17 personal paid days each year. The company also provides employee tuition reimbursements and awards scholarships to employees’ children.

TD Bank Financial Group

TD Bank offers financial services and banking to over 13 million people worldwide. They also support their employees in innovative ways that make them one of the top 10 businesses to work for in Canada.

TD Bank provides training and development to their employees through their partnership with Ryerson University, and they also encourage cultural training for their internationally educated employees. TDBank provides excellent financial benefits, as well as employee retirement planning services.

Toronto International Film Festival Group

The Toronto International Film Festival Group is known worldwide for their programs celebrating film excellence. They also promote sports and performing arts, as well as provide excellent support to their employees.

The Toronto International Film Festival Group not only provides its employees with free passes to the Toronto International Film Festival, but they also give employees access to DVDs, film screenings, and lectures throughout the year. They provide a generous parental leave program, in addition to supporting employees through retirement planning and matching RSP contributions.

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