Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 3
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CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2026)
2026
CANADA’S TOP SMALL &
MEDIUM EMPLOYERS
Anthony Meehan,
PUBLISHER
Editorial Team:
Richard Yerema,
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Kristina Leung,
MANAGING EDITOR
Stephanie Leung,
EDITOR
Sonja Verpoort,
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Cypress Weston,
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Krista Robinson,
SENIOR RESEARCH ASSISTANT
Advertising Team:
Chantel Watkins,
SENIOR PUBLISHING LEAD
Chariemagne Wood,
SENIOR PUBLISHING SPECIALIST
Teresa Yeung,
PUBLISHING COORDINATOR
Vishnusha Kirupananthan,
SENIOR BRANDING & GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Sponsored Profile Writers:
Berton Woodward,
SENIOR EDITOR
Brian Bethune
Abigail Cukier
Mary Dickie
Don Hauka
Diane Jermyn
Sara King-Abadi
Allison Lawlor
Katherine Macklem
Michael McCullough
Rick McGinnis
Dianne Rinehart
Kelsey Rolfe
Rita Silvan
Barbara Wickens
©2026 Mediacorp Canada Inc. All rights reserved. CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM
EMPLOYERS is a product of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail publishes content from this magazine online, but is not involved in the editorial content, judging or selection of winners. CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS is a registered trade
mark used by Mediacorp under license. Editorial inquiries: ct100@mediacorp.ca
p Calgary law firm Burnet, Duckworth & Palmer helps foster a healthy work environment with complimentary
meditation and fitness classes and provides generous coverage for mental health practitioners as part of its
benefits plan, to $3,000 per year.
C
anada’s small and medium employers have
spent years closing the gap with their larger
counterparts on workplace benefits and HR
policies — and this year’s competition shows
they have largely succeeded. But the winners
featured in these pages have gone further still, creating
workplaces where employees don’t just work well
together; they form genuine friendships. Welcome to
Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers (2026), now in its
13th year, and to the organizations that are redefining what
a great workplace looks like.
SMEs employ some eight million Canadians, comprising almost two-thirds of the private sector workforce.
What continues to make an impression on our editorial
team, however, is not just the scale of Canada’s SME sector
— it is the ambition of its best employers. Many of this
year’s winners increasingly rival far larger counterparts
when it comes to workplace benefits and progressive HR
policies.
Generous vacation allowances, robust mental health
support, family-friendly benefits: these were once the
exclusive domain of large employers with deep HR
budgets. No longer. Canada’s leading SMEs have closed
that gap, and in doing so have made themselves formidable competitors for top talent.
But the most compelling story from this year’s competition goes beyond just workplace benefits and perks. What
truly sets this year’s winners apart is their ability to
understand employees on a personal level — social events
tailored to individual interests, professional development
attuned to each person’s goals, and a culture that larger
employers have difficulty replicating at scale. In this year’s
announcement magazine, you’ll read how the SME
winners have organized everything from in-house bands,
company sports teams, cocktail evenings, and even
strategic planning retreats abroad – all designed to foster
genuine social connections with other employees.
A growing body of research shows that social connection is a key determinant of mental health, associated with
lower levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout. At a time when
loneliness and social isolation are increasingly recognized
as public health concerns, workplaces that foster genuine
friendships among colleagues offer something of
profound value — something that no benefits package or
HR policies alone can provide.
This is what our SME competition winners do exceptionally well, and they continue to get stronger each year.
Today, our editorial team released detailed reasons for
selection for each winner (www.canadastop100.com/sme),
offering a practical catalogue of best practices for
employers and job-seekers alike.
If your organization has a story to tell and would like to
be considered for next year’s competition, I encourage you
to reach our to our editorial team at ct100@mediacorp.ca
– completed applications for our 2027 competition must
be submitted by May 1.
– Tony Meehan
