Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 68
68
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
At Hazelview, there’s a culture of growth and belonging
W
hen Shantell
Bankasingh
reached
her tenth
anniversary
working for Hazelview
Investments Inc. in 2021, she
received an impressive award in
recognition — $5,000. She used
it to travel with a girlfriend to
Southeast Asia, staying in the
best hotels. “I don’t think I would
have been able to go on any trip
like that if this opportunity wasn’t
there,” says Bankasingh, associate,
social impact.
“It’s about our
performance, and we
know performance
starts with people.
We truly get to know
people at their core,
what motivates them,
and how we can
support them to thrive.”
— Alicia Ross
Partner, People Operations
and Talent
Bankasingh’s milestone is one of
many celebrated across Hazelview.
Two years later, senior leader
Alicia Ross, partner, people operations and talent, received the same
award on her 10th anniversary.
“It allowed me to take my family
of five on their dream vacation
to Disney World, and just the
memories we created far exceeded
any kind of monetary award or
gift,” she says.
Employees at Hazelview Investments volunteer during the Don’t Mess with the Don clean-up project.
Every Hazelview employee,
regardless of role, receives the
same recognition at their 10-year
milestone, and many more
beyond that. The company marks
anniversaries at five-year intervals
with meaningful rewards. Next
year, Bankasingh will celebrate
her 15th anniversary and receive
three months of paid leave. “I have
a two-year-old daughter, and it’s
wonderful to know I’ll have that
time to be with her,” she says.
“We’ll do something special.”
Hazelview, a real estate
investment firm, sees itself as a
people-first company, with the
perks to prove it. “We care deeply
about our people,” says Ross.
“It’s about our performance, and
we know performance starts
with people. We truly get to
know people at their core, what
motivates them, and how we can
support them to thrive.”
Besides the milestone awards,
there are bonuses, an equity
ownership plan, summer Friday
afternoons off, flexible spending
accounts, wellness days, RRSP
matching, and education
allowances.
Hazelview also likes to arrange
“coffee chats,” in which employees
at various levels, ages and genders
are paired one-on-one with
others, sometimes laterally and
sometimes with leaders. “We try
and connect people who may
not normally work together on
the same floor or department,”
says Ross. While there is also a
formal mentorship program, “a
lot of individuals, especially new
grads, have really appreciated
that exposure to leadership that
they necessarily wouldn’t receive
elsewhere.”
There’s a collaborative
and entrepreneurial spirit at
Hazelview, she adds. “We work
hard, but we also like to celebrate
each other as well and get to know
each other on a personal level.
The company has been around
since 1999, and it’s still as eager
and hungry as ever to continue to
grow and do well in its business,
but it hasn’t sacrificed connection,
belonging and people at its core.”
Hazelview is focused on
building a workplace where
people feel connected and valued,
she says. A key part of that
commitment is supporting social
well-being, creating opportunities
for employees to give back and
building community.
In her role supporting social
impact, Bankasingh leads many
of these initiatives, including the
Don’t Mess with the Don clean-up
