Atlantic Canada's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 4
4
MICHELIN
ATLANTIC CANADA’S TOP EMPLOYERS (2026)
An employee from Michelin North America (Canada) Inc. joins a summer parade in Pictou, N.S., one of the ways its employees stay involved in the community.
A rising tide lifts all boats
For this year’s Atlantic Canada winners, when one succeeds, everyone succeeds
C
anadians often see the
Maritimes as quaint fishing
villages and historic
lighthouses, but that’s only
part of the picture. The latest
list of Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers
(2026) reveals a far more diverse economy
than its traditional image suggests. While
natural resources and tourism are
important, they sit alongside a wide
spectrum of industries, creating a
balanced, stable job market.
For example, manufacturers such as
Michelin North America (Canada) Inc.
and major resource processors like Irving
Oil help anchor the region. Add in
healthcare, universities, software companies, engineering firms and professional
services and you get a surprising diversity
of career opportunities and employment.
“There’s a wide variety of businesses
that propel the economy in Atlantic Canada,” says Dorothy Keating, partner at
Noseworthy Chapman Chartered
Professional Accountants, a multiple top
employer award winner over the past decade. “The tech sector is alive and vibrant
here as well as manufacturing, construction, hospitality and a thriving retail sector. There’s no industry elsewhere in Canada that the Atlantic provinces don’t offer.”
Additionally, the region offers a
remarkably supportive environment for
entrepreneurs. As Keating explains, there’s
a lot of collaboration that happens among
the Atlantic provinces and great support
for business and entrepreneurship. For
instance, the business schools and colleges
are “really paying attention to what’s
happening in the marketplace,” aligning
talent with market needs.
Atlantic Canada’s strong culture of
perseverance and invention is another
factor — born out of necessity, especially
in places like Newfoundland where being
“on a rock in the North Atlantic” forces
people to figure things out.
That resilient business culture combined with a deeply welcoming community is what Keating calls Atlantic Canada’s
secret sauce. While the region has the
advantage of a grounded sense of heritage,
roots and community, its people are very
welcoming of all other peoples.
“Where you’re from doesn’t make a
difference,” says Keating. “Everyone
welcomes everyone and wants them to do
well and prosper. Nobody gets left behind.
It’s that kind of camaraderie, which is very
Atlantic Canadian.”
Besides being great for business,
Keating says Atlantic Canada offers an
exceptional quality of life.
“Once again, it’s that feeling of community that wraps its arms around anyone
who arrives here,” says Keating. “It makes
Atlantic Canada such an attractive place to
build a family, build a life, and start or
grow your career.
“If you’re a young professional trying to
weigh where to live in Canada, there’s a lot
happening here with respect to opportunities. You can live in a very safe, welcoming
environment with good compensation,
great work-life balance and a strong sense
of community.
“That’s really what you want, isn’t it? So
as an employer, that’s great for us.”
– Diane Jermyn
