About the Competition
Last year, employees at Longueuil-based Pratt & Whitney Canada volunteered an impressive 140,000 hours with local charitable groups on company time. (Photo: D.Poirier)
Background
First published in 2006, Montréal's Top Employers is an annual competition
organized by
Employees at marine transport company Fednav receive help preparing for 'life after work' through retirement planning assistance and a valuable defined benefit pension plan. (Photo: J.Haber)
Last year, employees at Longueuil-based Pratt & Whitney Canada volunteered an impressive 140,000 hours with local charitable groups on company time. (Photo: D.Poirier)
Employees at marine transport company Fednav receive help preparing for 'life after work' through retirement planning assistance and a valuable defined benefit pension plan. (Photo: J.Haber)
Selection Process
Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as the national competition: (1) Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offer the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.
Employees at marine transport company Fednav receive help preparing for 'life after work' through retirement planning assistance and a valuable defined benefit pension plan. (Photo: J.Haber)
A packed dance floor at the Groupe Dynamite year-end holiday party. (Photo: J.Trott)
Media Partner
Our media partner on the Montréal's Top Employers project is the Montreal Gazette, the oldest continuously published newspaper in North America. Each year, the winners are announced in a special magazine co-published with the Montreal Gazette, which includes a summary of our editors' reasons for selecting each employer.
A packed dance floor at the Groupe Dynamite year-end holiday party. (Photo: J.Trott)
Eligibility Requirements
Any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Greater Montréal may apply for this competition. Employers of any size may apply, whether private or public sector.
2025 Competition
Applications for our 2025 competition will be available early in 2024. Our 2025 winners will be announced in a special magazine co-published with the Montreal Gazette early in 2025. Join our mailing list to stay up-to-date and receive an application for next year's competition.
'No one is resting on their laurels': Montréal's Top Employers put their people first
From newer enterprises to long-standing winners, top companies all share one core goal — employee satisfaction
Known as a hub of multiculturalism and innovation, Montréal is home to corporations that aim to master all aspects of business, including employee satisfaction.
From the bustling tech ecosystem to its longer established organizations, Montréal companies from a wide range of sectors have been highlighted as Top Employers in the region. The Montréal competition is organized by the editors of the national Canada's Top 100 Employers project, which recognizes employers excelling in recruitment and retention each year.
As with the national competition, the editors of Montréal's Top Employers annually honour the best performers. The winners are chosen based on the same criteria as the national competition, including: the work environment; work and social atmosphere; health, financial and family-friendly benefits; vacation and time off; employee communications; performance management; training and skills development; and community involvement.
And the competition is more acute than ever, according to Richard Yerema, executive editor at Canada's Top 100 Employers. "No one is resting on their laurels," Yerema says.
Take Fiera Capital, an asset management firm specializing in personalized investment solutions. Fiera was named a Top Employer in Montréal for the first time this year, in part due to its dedication to ensuring work-life balance and employee wellness through comprehensive benefits such as access to telemedicine and sleep-improvement clinics.
"We believe that when our team excels, our clients receive the best of us in the management of their assets, reflecting our dedication to delivering value and success collectively," says Flora Sousa, senior vice-president, human resources at the firm.
Seasoned organizations which have been named Top Employers for more than 10 years running also underscore the importance of adapting to the demands of a changing workforce. The world- renowned McGill University takes this approach to its workplace and its student affairs.
"We believe our policies and programs designed to support all our employees throughout their careers at the university are key to ensuring a sustainable, connected and engaged workforce," shares McGill University in a statement. "The impact of our commitment can be seen across all campuses where we see the dedication and hard work of our staff community, going above and beyond day after day."
Putting people first is a consistent marker for the Top Employers on this year's list — something that audio software company Audiokinetic champions across the board.
"As our company grows, we consistently centre our discussions around how we will continue to prioritize people and preserve our vibrant company culture, ensuring that our growth remains grounded in our core values," says Martin H. Klein, chief executive officer of Audiokinetic.
Some common priorities among this year's winners are flexible work options, robust time off policies, inclusive parental leave programs and mental health support. Work-life balance among professionals across age groups are a key factor in growth and productivity.
Kristina Leung, managing editor at Canada's Top 100 Employers, says she has particularly impressed by the agility of organizations coming out of the pandemic.
"Organizations were able to move quickly to facilitate remote work, to increase benefits coverage and understand that in their workforce, every individual is dynamic and has different needs," she says.
Though employee wellness looks different now than it did pre-pandemic, HR experts who see themselves as open to listening and implementing changes are primed to succeed.
"We're going to adapt, and we're going to adjust, and we're going to bend, but we're not going to break," Yerema says of the mindset at Montréal's Top Employers. "There's adversity. Throw it at us."
– Margaux Dugras
From the official magazine announcing Montréal's Top Employers (2024), co-published with the Montreal Gazette on February 27, 2024. All rights reserved.
At consulting firm Osedea, all employees have the chance to participate in the 'Dreams Come True' program, which gives employees $5,000 and an additional week of vacation to accomplish a personal project. (Photo: A.Gagnon)
2024 Winners
- ABB Canada
- Air Canada
- Alcoa Canada
- Audiokinetic Inc.
- Beaconsfield, City of
- Bell Canada
- Bell Textron Canada Ltd.
- Blue Cross Canassurance
- BNP Paribas
- Bombardier Inc.
- Broadsign Canada Company
- Business Development Bank of Canada
- C3 Solutions Inc.
- CAE Inc.
- Canadian National Railway Company
- CGI Inc.
- Charles River Laboratories Montréal ULC
- Christie Innomed Inc.
- CIUSSS West-Central
- Clarins Canada Inc.
- Compulsion Games ULC
- Concordia University
- Coveo Solutions Inc.
- CSL Group Inc.
- Danone Canada
- DRW Canada Co.
- Fairstone Financial Inc.
- Fednav Limited
- Fiera Capital Corporation
- Groupe Bel Canada Inc.
- Groupe Dynamite Inc.
- Imperial Tobacco Canada Ltd.
- Insight Canada Inc.
- Invoke Studios Inc.
- Keurig Dr Pepper Canada
- Laurentian Pilotage Authority
- Laurentide Controls Ltd.
- Lexum informatique juridique inc.
- Lightspeed Commerce Inc.
- L'Oréal Canada Inc.
- Maples Group
- McGill University
- McKesson Canada
- Mistplay Inc.
- Montréal, Ville de
- Motive Studio
- MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (Canada) Inc.
- Nestlé Nespresso Canada
- OneSpan Canada Inc.
- Osedea Inc.
- Pfizer Canada ULC
- Pomerleau Inc.
- Pratt & Whitney Canada
- Public Sector Pension Investment Board / PSP Investments
- Public Services and Procurement Canada, Quebec region
- Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton
- Richter LLP
- Rio Tinto
- RONA Inc.
- Samsung Ads Canada
- Saputo Inc.
- Société Générale Canada
- Société québécoise d'information juridique / SOQUIJ
- Sollio Groupe Coopératif
- Solotech Inc.
- Telefilm Canada
- Ubisoft Canadian Studios
- Ultra Electronics TCS Inc.
- Université de Montréal
- WB Games Montréal Inc.
Montréal's top tech and engineering employers merge innovation and work-life harmony
Companies build a culture that empowers employees
Rapid changes in models of work have created both challenges and opportunities for employers across industries. In the realms of tech and engineering, employers have been determining the best ways to innovate within a shifting office landscape.
Luckily, Montréal's unique role as a diverse hub of languages, personal backgrounds and experiences offers a slew of advantages and new talent for entrepreneurs.
This year, 16 tech and software companies made the list of 70 winners in the Montréal's Top Employers competition. Between 2017 and 2022, Montréal was the third-fastest growing region for tech jobs in North America, with 51,500 people hired, according to commercial real estate services and investment firm CBRE.
Kristina Leung, managing editor of Canada's Top 100 Employers, sheds light on what makes the tech sector unique in nurturing a vibrant ecosystem that values not just the bottom line, but the well-being and satisfaction of every employee.
"Those organizations and startup firms, they're often the first ones to come up with the ideas of unlimited time off or super flexible time off," Leung says. "And I'm certain that some of them already had work-from-anywhere policies prior to the pandemic."
People-centric policies
Audiokinetic, recognized for the first time as a Top Employer in Montréal, exemplifies the city's approach to balancing work and play while creating the conditions necessary to foster creativity and innovation.
"This distinction is a testament to our team's commitment to fostering a workplace where success is a result of putting people first," says Martin H. Klein, president and CEO of Audiokinetic. The audio software company prides itself on creating a dynamic atmosphere where individuals feel empowered to share ideas, fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity and dedication to excellence.
Audiokinetic's commitment to work-life balance is evident in its flexible work arrangements and the creation of "meaningful moments" for teams. With 97 full-time employees in Canada, the organization's smaller size provides an opportunity for robust integration of employee feedback.
"As our company grows, we consistently centre our discussions around how we will continue to prioritize people and preserve our vibrant company culture, ensuring that our growth remains grounded in our core values," says Klein.
A balance between work and play
A career in the high-octane world of game development can seem daunting — especially in a video-game hub such as Montréal. But Ubisoft Canadian Studios cultivates a work-life balance that allows its creatives and innovators to put their best work forward.
On the recruitment front, Ubisoft employs a strategy as dynamic and inclusive as the games it creates. The company seeks passionate, imaginative individuals who are eager to push the boundaries of what's possible in video game development.
Through initiatives such as Ubisoft Education, which involves partnerships with educational institutions and offers scholarships, internships and mentorship programs, the company invests in the next generation of talent.
"Since we opened our studio here in 1997, we have been pushing the boundaries to create extraordinary worlds for our players," says Catherine Lemire, vice-president, Talents, at Ubisoft. "We owe this success, in part, to the ingenuity and innovation of our employees, and we strive to provide them with a work environment that fosters this creativity."
Empowering employees
Pratt & Whitney Canada, an RTX company, stands as a leader in Montréal's aerospace industry. Its workplace culture promotes empowerment, diversity and innovation.
"We have amazing, passionate and smart people who come up with ideas that can change the world," says the company in a provided statement.
In the engineering industry, having the best people isn't enough — they must be given the right tools to create innovation they are proud of. To ensure work-life balance, Pratt & Whitney Canada offers flexible work arrangements and a comp- rehensive benefits program, including the 'INSPIRE' well-being program. The company is committed to prioritizing employee satisfaction, conducting biannual engagement surveys and offering a wide range of development and education opportunities.
Despite industry-wide trends such as artificial intelligence automation and a tough investment outlook, Pratt & Whitney still puts an emphasis on recruitment strategies. The company looks for minds that are ready to be challenged as well as excited about the work.
"We achieve this through our co-op and internship programs and our partnerships with industry partners and specialized schools that help us attract, train and develop students," says the company.
– Margaux Dugras
From the official magazine announcing Montréal's Top Employers (2024), co-published with the Montreal Gazette on February 27, 2024. All rights reserved.