Top Companies 2021: The 25 best workplaces to grow your career in Canada

Reported by: Riva Gold

The world of work is transforming. Not only have we worked through a once-in-a-generation global pandemic, but decades of automation, the rise of artificial intelligence and a new shift to remote work have all reshaped what our professional lives look like – and what we’re expecting from our employers.

Today, we are launching our 2021 LinkedIn Top Companies list, a ranking of the 25 best workplaces to grow your career. This third annual launch in Canada also debuts our all-new methodology, which uses unique LinkedIn data to go beyond the companies that attract talent to uncover the companies that invest in their workforce. These 25 companies help employees build a professional foundation that sets them up for success both at the company and beyond. 

Our new methodology has seven key pillars, each revealing an important element of career progression: ability to advance, skills growth, company stability, external opportunity, company affinity, gender diversity and educational background. You can dig into the details of our methodology at the bottom of the article.

We hope that the Top Companies list will serve as a go-to resource for professionals at every stage, from those who are looking to get back on their feet after an unprecedented year to those who are ready to make the next step in their career journey. At each company, you can see which roles and skills are in demand – as well as explore open jobs and see people you may know. See a company that feels like a good fit for you? Follow their company page and/or turn on job alerts to ensure you don’t miss out on future opportunities.

You can also check out the Top Companies in Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, the U.A.E., the U.K., the U.S., and across Europe.

Here are this year’s 25 #LinkedInTopCompanies in Canada

Company insights, such as skills and top locations, are sourced from LinkedIn Talent Insights and reflect only employees on LinkedIn. We use headcounts provided by the company whenever possible. More details below.

Headcount in Canada: 62,923 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Information Technology, Management Consulting, Mergers & Acquisitions | Largest job functions: Finance, Sales, Information Technology | What you should know: During the pandemic, RBC says it continued to pay eligible employees unable to work due to COVID-19 and offered special compensation for those working onsite. The bank also said it was the first in Canada to commit to no job losses from COVID in 2020.

See jobs at RBC | See people you may know at RBC

Headcount in Canada: 64,611 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, London | Fastest-growing skills: Program Management, Project Management Office, Business Process |  Largest job functions: Finance, Support, Information Technology | What you should know: TD Bank, which also committed to no job losses in 2020 as a result of COVID, trained HR professionals to help redeploy employees from one business to another as the company adapted to changing needs.

See jobs at TD | See people you may know at TD

Headcount in Canada: 33,418 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Ottawa area, Greater Montreal | Fastest-growing skills: Consumer Lending, Branch Banking, Refinance | Largest job functions: Finance, Support, Information Technology | What you should know: Scotiabank says it is considering a wider range of applicants for some roles, focusing on assessments of skillsets over specific job requirements or backgrounds.

See jobs at Scotiabank | See people you may know at Scotiabank

Alphabet is the parent company of Google.

Headcount in Canada: 2,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Greater Montreal | Fastest-growing skills: Java, C, Python | Largest job functions: Media and Communication, Engineering, Sales | In the news: Google has announced plans to open new offices in Toronto, Waterloo, and Montreal, accommodating up to 5,000 employees by 2022.

See jobs at Alphabet | See people you may know at Alphabet

Headcount in Canada: 50,000+ | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Greater Ottawa area | Fastest-growing skills: Business Process Improvement, Human Resources, Business Intelligence | Largest job functions: Information Technology, Sales, Engineering | What you should know: Bell, which operates some of Canada’s biggest media brands, recently set new targets for BIPOC representation in senior management of at least 25% by 2025, as well as student and graduate hiring of at least 40%.

See jobs at Bell | See people you may know at Bell

George Weston Ltd. operates Loblaw Companies, Choice Properties Real Estate Investment Trust and Weston Foods.

Headcount in Canada: 13,689* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Administrative Assistance, Human Resources, Sales Management | Largest job functions: Healthcare Services, Operations, Sales | In the news: George Weston Ltd. – which also operates Loblaw Companies and subsidiary Shoppers Drug Mart – is putting its Weston Foods bakery business (maker of Wonder Bread, ACE Bakery and Country Harvest) up for sale as it refocuses on retail and real estate.

See jobs at George Weston | See people you may know at George Weston

Headcount in Canada: 28,904 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Process Improvement, Performance Management, Customer Satisfaction | Largest job functions: Finance, Support, Information Technology | In the news: BMO says it invests over $86 million a year in employee learning and development.

See jobs at BMO Financial Group | See people you may know at BMO Financial Group

Headcount in Canada: 3,403 | Top Canada locations: Metro Vancouver, Greater Montreal, Greater Toronto Area | Fastest-growing skills: Software Development, Customer Relationship Management, Business Intelligence | Largest job functions: Engineering, Information Technology, Sales | What you should know: SAP ran an awareness campaign in 12 countries to encourage the uptake of parental leave for men, in order to promote gender equality.

See jobs at SAP | See people you may know at SAP

Headcount in Canada: 44,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: ITIL, SharePoint, Analytics | Largest job functions: Finance, Information Technology, Support | What you should know: Skills are developed at CIBC through mentorship programs, job shadowing programs and in-house training.

See jobs at CIBC | See people you may know at CIBC

Headcount in Canada: 11,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Financial Reporting, Finance, Financial Analysis | Largest job functions: Accounting, Consulting, Finance | What you should know: Deloitte has already hired staff for close to 3,000 roles this fiscal year across Canada and has immediate plans to recruit another 1,000. 

See jobs at Deloitte | See people you may know at Deloitte

Canada headcount: 14,511* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Greater Ottawa area | Fastest-growing skills: Analytical Skills, Management Consulting, Recruiting | Largest job functions: Engineering, Information Technology, Business Development | In the news: IBM’s CEO said the company expects 80% of its employees to work in a hybrid model after the pandemic, splitting time between the office and virtual workspaces.

See jobs at IBM | See people you may know at IBM

Headcount in Canada: 48,862 | Top Canada locations: Greater Montreal, Greater Quebec City Metropolitan Area, Greater Toronto Area | Fastest-growing skills: Management Consulting, E-commerce, Employee Relations | Largest job functions: Finance, Support, Sales | What you should know: The bank is planning to expand its IT and project management workforce in Quebec over the next year, especially in Montreal and Lévis, and is also hiring in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.

See jobs at Desjardins | See people you may know at Desjardins

Headcount in Canada: Approximately 11,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo | Fastest-growing skills: Sales Management, Forecasting, Sales Operations | Largest job functions: Sales, Operations, Marketing | What you should know: PepsiCo has a long offered flexibility around working hours, and recently announced the office will no longer be the “default work environment.” 

See jobs at PepsiCo | See people you may know at PepsiCo

Headcount in Canada: Approximately 5,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Most common skills: Accounting, Financial Reporting, Financial Analysis | Largest job functions: Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Administrative | What you should know: BDO, which is marking its 100-year anniversary, has shaken up its recruitment strategy to attract remote workers with a “work from anywhere in Canada” approach.

See jobs at BDO | See people you may know at BDO

Headcount in Canada: 4,049 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Construction, Contract Management, Piping | Largest job functions: Engineering, Operations, Information Technology | What you should know: Hatch has significantly increased the number of schools that it actively recruits at, from 10 to 27 across Canada, in order to broaden and diversify its talent pool. 

See jobs at Hatch | See people you may know at Hatch

Headcount in Canada: Approximately 40,000 (full-time) | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Customer Satisfaction, Loss Prevention, Merchandising | Largest job functions: Support, Sales, Operations | What you should know: Walmart Canada’s $500 million in-store upgrades this year are expected to create over 2,000 jobs. Walmart has also hired an extra 20,000 associates in its stores and distribution centres in Canada since the beginning of the pandemic.

See jobs at Walmart | See people you may know at Walmart

Headcount in Canada: 4,181* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Calgary | Most common skills: Engineering, Manufacturing, Troubleshooting | Largest job functions: Engineering, Operations, Information Technology | In the news: Siemens is looking to recruit staff in Engineering, Manufacturing, Research & Development, IT, Sales & Marketing, and Operations.  

See jobs at Siemens | See people you may know at Siemens

Headcount in Canada: 22,347* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Entertainment, Recruiting, Voice Acting | Largest job functions: Sales, Information Technology, Support | In the news: Rogers announced in March that it wants to buy Shaw Communications for $26 billion, which would create Canada’s second biggest cellular and cable operator and mark the country’s biggest telecoms deal in two decades.

See jobs at Rogers Communications | See people you may know at Rogers Communications

Headcount in Canada: 5,155* | Top Canada location: Toronto | Fastest-growing skills: Data Analysis, Public Health, Clinical Research | Largest job functions: Healthcare Services, Research, Program and Project Management | What may surprise you: SickKids has been treating children for over a century. Its campus redevelopment project, which includes a 22-storey building with an education, training and administrative hub, is slated to open late next year.

See jobs at The Hospital for Sick Children | See people you may know at The Hospital for Sick Children

Headcount in Canada: 11,909* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Greater Montreal | Fastest-growing skills: Sales Management, Life Insurance, Employee Benefits Design | Largest job functions: Finance, Information Technology, Sales | What you should know: Manulife offered a virtual summer camp and after-school clubs to help employees with children over the pandemic. It also gave everyone an extra day off in June and five additional personal paid days off in 2021 to rest and recharge.

See jobs at Manulife | See people you may know at Manulife

Headcount in Canada: 4,788* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Greater Montreal, Metro Vancouver | Fastest-growing skills: Linux, Hardware, Computer Repair | Largest job functions: Information Technology, Sales, Engineering | What you should know: Apple University offers classes, seminars and beyond-the-classroom tools for employee development, and will reimburse certain educational expenses, including tuition. 

See jobs at Apple | See people you may know at Apple

Headcount in Canada: 21,156* | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Metro Vancouver, Greater Montreal | Fastest-growing skills: Program Management, Process Improvement, Strategic Partnerships | Largest job functions: Information Technology, Sales, Engineering | What you should know: TELUS is transforming its offices to move away from assigned work spaces, offering staff more flexibility to choose where and how they work.

See jobs at TELUS | See people you may know at TELUS

Headcount in Canada: 4,719* | Top Canada location: Toronto | Fastest-growing skills: Health Promotion, Data Analysis, Public Health | Largest job functions: Healthcare Services, Research, Administrative | What you should know: The Sunnybrook Leadership Institute provides classroom and online learning opportunities for staff’s professional and personal development. 

See jobs at Sunnybrook | See people you may know at Sunnybrook

Headcount in Canada: 10,000+ | Top Canada locations: Greater Montreal, Greater Toronto Area, Greater Quebec City Metropolitan Area | Fastest-growing skills: Cloud Computing, Solution Architecture, Business Process | Largest job functions: Consulting, Information Technology, Engineering | What you should know: CGI has moved its recruitment fully online due to the pandemic, with all contact taking place by phone, email or video conferencing.

See jobs at CGI | See people you may know at CGI

Headcount in Canada: 23,000 | Top Canada locations: Greater Toronto Area, Metro Vancouver, Calgary | Fastest-growing skills: Troubleshooting, Python, SQL | Largest job functions: Engineering, Operations, Sales | What you should know: Amazon announced plans in September to hire 3,500 new corporate and tech-focused employees across the country in the years ahead, including 3,000 in Vancouver.

See jobs at Amazon | See people you may know at Amazon

Share the full list and your thoughts on this year's Top Companies using #LinkedInTopCompanies.

Methodology

Our methodology uses LinkedIn data to rank companies based on seven pillars that have been shown to lead to career progression: ability to advance; skills growth; company stability; external opportunity; company affinity; gender diversity and educational background. Ability to advance tracks employee promotions within a company and when they move to a new company, based on standardized job titles. Skills growth looks at how employees across the company are gaining skills while employed at the company, using standardized LinkedIn skills. Company stability tracks attrition over the past year, as well as the percentage of employees that stay at the company at least three years. External opportunity looks at Recruiter outreach across employees at the company, signaling demand for workers coming from these companies. Company affinity, which seeks to measure how supportive a company’s culture is, looks at connection volume on LinkedIn among employees, controlled for company size. Gender diversity measures gender parity within a company and its subsidiaries. Finally, educational background examines the variety of educational attainment among employees, from no degree up to Ph.D. levels, reflecting a commitment to recruiting a wide range of professionals. 

To be eligible, companies must have at least 500 employees as of Dec. 31 in the country and reductions in staff (including attrition and layoffs) can be no higher than 10% (based on LinkedIn data or public announcements). Only parent companies rank on the list; majority-owned subsidiaries and data about those subsidiaries are incorporated into the parent company score. Certain data counts — like gender diversity and educational background — are normalized based on company size across the pool of companies eligible for the list. The methodology time frame is Jan. 1, 2020 through Dec. 31, 2020. All of the data used is aggregated and/or de-identified.

We exclude all staffing and recruiting firms, educational institutions and government agencies. We also exclude LinkedIn, its parent company Microsoft and Microsoft subsidiaries.

About company insights

*Company insights were sourced from LinkedIn Talent Insights and include the parent company and majority-owned subsidiaries. Data reflects aggregated public member data from active LinkedIn profiles in the relevant country and includes full-time employee profiles associated with the parent company and majority-owned subsidiaries on LinkedIn. We exclude members who identify as interns or contractors. Headcounts are provided by the companies directly or public filings, unless otherwise noted with an asterisk. Those headcounts are based on LinkedIn data. The insights reflect a 12-month time period looking back from January 2021.

Correction: Certain data counts were normalized for company size. The previous version stated that all data counts were normalized for company size.