Canada's Top Small & Medium Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 62
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CANADA’S TOP SMALL & MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (2026)
Westbow cares for its employees and the community
W
hen Westbow
Group of
Companies Ltd.
was in its early
growth stages,
employees worked side by side in a
barn in Chilliwack, B.C. Desks were
tightly grouped together. Windows
stayed open in the summer to make
up for the lack of air conditioning.
Even senior leadership shared the
same space.
“It was humble, entrepreneurial
and collaborative. It set the tone
that we’re in this together,” recalls
Gabor Flor, head of real estate.
Today, Westbow has grown into
a diversified construction, real
estate and agriculture company
with a modern office to support
its expanding team. While the
workspace has evolved, the culture
of hard work, accountability and
shared purpose that fuelled its
early success remains unchanged.
A central part of that culture is
investing in employees’ professional development. Team
members are provided with various
leadership and development
opportunities, including leadership
courses, one-on-one coaching and
individual development plans. The
company aims to develop internal
talent and regularly promotes from
within.
“It’s high-growth, open-minded
and nobody here has an ego,” Flor
says. “When we recruit, we look for
culture fit over skill, because with
the right mindset, capacity and
drive, people can learn and grow
into their role.”
Kayla Smith’s career path is a
clear example. She joined Westbow
three and a half years ago as a
development administrator after
stepping away from a demanding
legal career to find better balance
for her family. Through consistent
performance and initiative, Smith
advanced into her current role as
executive assistant, a transition that
she says speaks to the company’s
commitment to internal growth.
Smith says Westbow’s values
stood out to her from her earliest
interactions with the company.
“They were focused on more
than just filling a role. They cared
about finding the right fit and
building something long-term,”
she says. “Right away from the initial interviews, you could tell they
genuinely cared — about people,
about doing things right, and about
building something meaningful.”
She says the weekly “Wins and
Brags” meetings, where employees
celebrate their collective wins
and shout out colleagues for good
work or going the extra mile, are a
perfect example of the company’s
supportive culture. The gatherings
reinforce collaboration, transparency and shared responsibility for
results, she says.
“You’re acknowledging the
teamwork, saying something nice
you might not otherwise think to
say. I love that our company does
that,” says Smith.
Westbow’s impact extends into
the local and global communities through Westbow Gives
Right away from the initial interviews, you could
tell they genuinely cared — about people,
about doing things right, and about building
something meaningful.
The Chilliwack sales team at Westbow Group of Companies.
— Kayla Smith
Executive Assistant
