Learn About 10 of the Biggest Companies in Canada
Updated September 30, 2022
Canada is home to some of the biggest and most professionally advanced companies in the world. Each of these companies has its own unique history, systems, and modes of work that have helped them achieve their positions today. Learning about these companies can help you identify their work values and the opportunities you find within these organizations.
In this article, we review ten of the biggest companies in Canada and how they work successfully.
10 biggest companies in Canada
Here's a list of ten of the biggest companies in Canada, their industries, sizes, histories, and the opportunities they may offer for employment:
1. Magna International Inc.
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Transportation, equipment, and manufacturing
Description: Founded in 1957, Magna is one of the automobile industry's major suppliers. The company is a mobility technology firm with a worldwide, entrepreneurial-minded workforce of 158,000 professionals, and an organizational structure built on innovation. It has more than 60 years of experience and a systems-based approach to design, engineering, and production that encompasses practically every part of the vehicle.
The company has positioned itself to support the advancement of mobility in this rapidly changing sector. Its worldwide network spans 28 countries and comprises 347 production facilities, and 84 product research, engineering, and sales centres.
The company also provides various kinds of insurance benefits for its employees. Some of these insurance packages include health insurance, dental insurance, mental health care, and occupational accident insurance.
Related: Top 15 Highest-Paying Jobs in Canada
2. TD Bank
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Finance
Description: Toronto Dominion (TD) Bank officially started in February 1955 when the Bank of Toronto and Dominion Bank merged. The company is famous worldwide for offering a range of banking and financial services, but it also provides sponsorship for several sporting venues in Canada and the United States.
Over the years, TD has established more than 1,000 branches to cater to its 11 million customers within Canada. The multinational company is also responsible for approximately 26 million clients across the globe, including 1,200 branches in 16 states across the United States. It offers job opportunities in almost all its sectors and runs a functional campus recruitment program.
The bank also hosts a special recruitment program for veterans. The Toronto-Dominion Bank is currently worth $178 billion by market capitalization. This company provides employee benefits, such as parental leave and various insurance plans.
3. Enbridge
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Energy, mining, and utilities
Description: Enbridge is a multinational gas distribution company with its headquarters in Calgary, Alberta. Founded on the 30th of April 1949, the company boasts of being the world's longest crude oil and liquid pipeline. It stretches across 27,564 km, actively transporting crude oil through Canada, the US and offshore into the Gulf of Mexico. Over the last decade, Enbridge has transported 29.5 billion barrels of crude oil through its pipelines, which are still expanding.
Despite being a leader in the manufacturing and distribution of fossil fuels, Enbridge is also one of the largest renewable energy companies in Canada, with major investments in wind and solar energy projects. The company lists available job positions on their official website mostly restricted to Canada and parts of the US. Enbridge also works with the Ian Martin Group to hire student contractors for a determined period. The company is currently worth $114.80 billion.
Related: Everything You Need to Know About the Hierarchy of a Company
4. Canadian National Railway
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Transportation and logistics
Description: The Canadian National Railway is a Class I freight railway and is the country's largest railway both in terms of revenue and the extent of the rail network, which is about 32,831 km. It serves most of Canada and the Midwest and South of the United States. The company, which was government-owned until 1995, currently has a market capitalization estimated at $88.94 billion.
Over the past decade, the company has steadily been becoming one of the biggest organizations in Canada and across the continent. This has positively affected how it treats its employees as it continues to expand. This company provides benefits such as paid internships for students, health insurance, and two weeks of paid vacation after the first year of work.
Related: 19 Companies That Offer Part-Time Jobs With Benefits
5. Scotiabank
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Finance
Description: The Bank of Nova Scotia was founded in Halifax in 1832 and moved its headquarters to Toronto in 1900. The bank's services include personal and commercial banking, corporate and investment banking, and wealth management.
Renowned for its acquisitions and mergers with other financial institutions, Scotiabank owes subsidiaries across Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, and parts of Asia. The company also sponsors numerous sporting and cultural events across Canada and even internationally. The bank's worth is about $110.56 billion.
6. Brookfield Asset Management
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Real estate
Description: Brookfield Asset Management is one of the world's leading alternative investment companies. The multinational Canadian company focuses on direct control investments in real estate, renewable power, infrastructure, credit, and private equity. As of 2021, BAM was managing approximately $688 billion worth of assets. It's also responsible for a number of subsidiary companies, including Oaktree Capital, through which the company invests in distressed securities.
Career opportunities within the company are diverse, ranging across fields, such as HR, investment, and accounting. Brookfield offers on-the-job training for employees, which facilitates flexibility. For example, an employee with a background in investment can learn what it's like to work in human resources.
7. BMO Financial Group
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Finance
Description: The Bank of Montreal (BMO) officially began in 1817 when a group of eight businesspeople signed the articles of association, making it Canada's oldest bank. The company has 900 branches and seven million customers across the country. It also has developed branches in the United States where many people refer to it as BMO Harris Bank. BMO's value is at about $95.39 billion. The company also encourages diversity, promotes personal and career fulfilment, and implements sustainable business practices for the environment.
Related: What Is Company Culture? (With a List of Different Types)
8. Canadian Pacific
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Transportation and logistics
Description: The Canadian Class I railway, incorporated in 1881, includes 20,100 km of track in seven Canadian provinces. In 2009, the company expanded into the US when it bought two American airlines. CNP also used to offer non-railway-related services such as a telegraph sale service, operation of radio stations, steamships, hotels, and even an airline. The subsidiary company Canadian Pacific offers today some of these services. In 2001, Canadian Pacific divided into five distinct and independent corporations, with Canadian Pacific Railway reverting to its beginnings as a railway company. CP, as its name is today, has several kilometres of track across Canada and the United States.
It's a public business, and it trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol CP. This company promotes the following benefits within the organization:
Pension plan
Scholarship program for employees' children
Activities to preserve and protect the environment
9. Canadian Natural
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Energy, mining, and utilities
Description: Canadian Natural is an oil and natural gas company with most of its operations occurring in the Western Canadian provinces. The company also conducts offshore operations in countries around the world, such as the United Kingdom and Gabon. Canadian Natural currently has the rights to the world's largest undeveloped base in the western Canadian sedimentary basin.
Related: Job Search Guide: Finding Companies That Value Diversity and Inclusion
10. Shopify
Size: More than 10,000 employees
Industry: Information technology
Description: Shopify is an e-commerce company founded in 2006 that serves as a platform for online retailers to conduct businesses. Its services cater to all online trading needs, including payments, marketing, shipping, and tools designed to ease customer engagement. As of 2021, the platform served 1.7 million businesses in 175 countries and operates 1.58 million websites. Because Shopify is an e-commerce company, available positions are mainly in the technology field and most employees can perform their tasks remotely.
Please note that none of the companies, institutions, or organizations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.
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