Montreal's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 14
MONTRÉAL’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
AÉROPRTS DE MONTRÉAL
14
p Members of the human capital team at Aéroports de Montréal with Vice-President Myrrha Dubé (fifth from right), and President & CEO Yves Beauchamp (fourth from left).
How Montréal’s employers put people at the centre of work
People-first workplaces are shaping one of Canada’s most dynamic job markets
A
s Canadian organizations
compete for talent, quality of
life and work-life balance are
no longer perks — rather, an
expectation. This year’s
Montréal Top Employers (2026) competition
is bringing to light which companies are
setting the standard.
Organized by the editors of Canada’s
Top 100 Employers, this esteemed
competition celebrates the city’s most
forward-thinking and people-centric
workplaces. Winners are assessed against
a consistent set of criteria, including
benefits, time off policies, training
programs and community involvement,
with the goal of creating transparency and
a clear image of the state of work in
Montréal.
For the editors behind the list, this
transparency is the whole point. It
provides a straightforward way to compare
employers beyond job listings with
surface-level buzzwords and opaque
management structures.
Since its first competition 21 years ago,
Montréal has been a particularly bright
spot with employers spread across an
unusually diverse mix of sectors.
“It’s the only list where you see fashion
and food production in the same applicant
pool,” says Richard Yerema, executive
editor of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
“The uniqueness of Montréal’s industry
has always caught our attention.”
That breadth of industries is reflected in
this year’s honourees, featuring several
first-time winners and long-time fixtures.
New to the list this year, Aéroports de
Montréal was recognized for its commitment to a positive and supportive work
environment, especially during a recent
period of significant growth.
“It’s a great honour for us to win this
award,” says Yves Beauchamp, president
and chief executive officer of Aéroports de
Montréal. “We’ve hired massively in recent
years and it’s so important for us to create
an environment that supports people and
makes the workplace positive.”
This year’s list reflects a shift in
Montréal’s employers’ attitudes toward
work, focusing more on job satisfaction
and standard of living for their workers.
“A lot of the trends centre around this
idea of quality of life and work-life
balance,” says Kristina Leung, managing
editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers
competition. “It’s important to balance
hard work with play, enjoy your life and
develop relationships with your
colleagues.”
Concordia University, an 11-time
Montréal Top Employer, focuses on the
day-to-day experiences that shape
employee working life. Beyond strong
benefits, flexible work policies and
extensive in-house development opportunities, the university is focused on building
a human-centric workplace.
“People bring their whole selves to
work, and we make room for that,” says
Carolina Willsher, associate vice-president
of human resources at Concordia. “When
we’re on campus, there’s a real buzz.
There’s always something exciting
happening on campus. It adds to the
flavour, the culture and creates
community.”
Montréal’s Top Employers have long led
the conversation on family-friendly
benefits, personal days off and time-off
policies. And that impact is felt beyond la
belle province.
“Montréal has certainly been influential
on other parts of the country,” says Leung.
“The organizations that have been on the
list over the years continue to embed
quality of life into their culture. That’s
ultimately changed the conversation you
have outside Québec, too.”
– Adam Burton
This story was created by Content Works,
Postmedia’s commercial content division, on
behalf of Montréal’s Top Employers.
