Top Employers in Atlantic Canada

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Presented by Atlantic Business Magazine in exclusive partnership with Mediacorp

Now in its third year, the Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers competition is organized by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.  This special designation recognizes the employers in Canada’s four Atlantic provinces that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. It’s a unique project for the Top 100 editors because this competition extends across four provinces (the only one of its kind in Canada) since many employers in Atlantic Canada have operations across the region.

Employers are evaluated by the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers using the same eight criteria as our national competition: (1) Physical Workplace; (2) Work Atmosphere & Social; (3) Health, Financial & Family Benefits; (4) Vacation & Time Off; (5) Employee Communications; (6) Performance Management; (7) Training & Skills Development; and (8) Community Involvement. Employers are compared to other organizations in their field to determine which offers the most progressive and forward-thinking programs.

Employers apply for the Atlantic Canada’s Top Employers competition through the Canada’s Top 100 Employers application process.  For this year’s national competition, Mediacorp editors examined the recruitment histories of over 75,000 employers across Canada that it tracks for its popular job search site, Eluta.ca.  From this initial group, Mediacorp invited 10,000 of the fastest-growing employers to apply, plus another 2,500 companies and organizations in industries its editors wanted to examine more closely.  Employers completed an extensive application process that included a detailed review of their operations and HR practices.  Over 2,750 employers started this year’s application process. 

Tony Meehan, Publisher Canada’s Top 100 Employers Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Top Employers

Admiral Insurance Services Inc., Halifax. Provides automobile insurance products and services; 205 employees. What makes them great: variety of financial benefits (including profit-sharing, performance bonuses and pension plan); new employees get three weeks annual leave (rises to four after five years); in-house and online training as well as tuition subsidies; referral bonuses when employees successfully recommend a new candidate to the company.

Alcool NB Liquor / ANBL, Fredericton. Provincial Crown corporation responsible for the purchase, importation, distribution and retail activity of all beverage alcohol in New Brunswick; 445 employees. What makes them great: defined benefit pension plan, defined contribution pension plan, and matching RSP contributions; maternity leave top-ups and flex working arrangements for new mothers; salary deferral program allowing employees to defer a portion of their salary and take extended time off (up to one year) with pay; 100% tuition reimbursement for employees attending outside institutions (with no annual maximum).

Annapolis Valley District Health Authority, Kentville. Provides health and wellness services to the counties of Kings and Annapolis through five hospital and health centre sites; 973 employees. What makes them great: defined benefit pension plan, retirement planning assistance, and phased-in work options; maternity top-up payments for new mothers and parental leave top-up for new fathers and adoptive parents; alternative work arrangements including flexible hours, telecommuting, 35-hour work week (with full pay), shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, and an earned days off program; tuition subsidies, in-house and online training programs, in-house apprenticeships and skilled trades internships, formal mentoring program, and career planning services.

Bluewave Energy Limited Partnership, Dartmouth. A petroleum distribution company with 60 branch locations across Canada; 463 employees. What makes them great: profit-sharing for all employees; tuition subsidies for courses at outside institutions and in-house/online training programs; free memberships to onsite fitness facility, complete with treadmills, yoga classes and shower facilities for bicycle commuters; maternity leave top-ups for new mothers and health benefits during their leave.

“We want our employees to continue to grow, develop professionally, and remain challenged in their positions. Offering tuition subsidies and subsidies for professional accreditations are just a couple of ways that we demonstrate to our employees that they do not just have a job with IMP, they have a career.” Julie Rehemtulla, Senior Vice President, Corporate Services, I.M.P. Group International Inc.

Cape Breton District Health Authority, Sydney. Provides community health services to 130,000 residents of Cape Breton, Northern and Central Inverness County and Victoria County; 2,228 employees. What makes them great: defined benefit pension plan, retirement planning assistance, phased-in work options, and health coverage that extends to retirees; maternity top-up payments for new mothers and parental leave top-up for new fathers and adoptive parents; alternative work arrangements including flexible work hours, 35-hour work week (with full pay), shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, and an earned days off program; new hires receive three weeks vacation allowance in addition to five personal paid days off.