Canada’s Top Employers for Young People named for 2026

Mediacorp Canada Inc. announced the winners of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People for 2026 on Jan. 20, recognizing organizations that provide strong workplace programs for early-career employees.

The editorial competition, now in its 24th year, evaluates employers based on recruitment, training, mentorship and career management programs for workers at the start of their careers.

Winners are selected by the editorial team behind the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project. The competition is open to any employer with its head office or principal place of business in Canada.

Focus on workplace readiness

This year’s winners have expanded programs focused on confidence-building, structured onboarding and early-career support as young workers enter the labour market amid economic uncertainty and workplace readiness gaps, according to Mediacorp.

“Post-pandemic, and having grown up in a largely virtual world, many young people have had fewer opportunities to develop informal communication skills and other workplace conventions, which can make a challenging labour market even more daunting,” said Cypress Weston, assistant editor at Mediacorp.

Mentorship programs and formal career coaching have become central components of early-talent strategies. Many organizations have also expanded social activities and employee resource groups for young professionals.

Training support

Rising training and credentialing costs have created barriers to entry in certain sectors, particularly skilled trades where certification requires significant upfront investment.

Many winning employers now offer financial assistance for professional designations and trade certifications, according to Mediacorp.

Programs evaluated in the competition include tuition assistance, co-op and work-study placements, structured mentoring and bonuses for completing professional or trade certifications.

About the competition

“At a time when Canada faces fundamental challenges to its economic model, how effectively we develop the next generation will help determine whether the country succeeds,” said Kristina Leung, managing editor at Mediacorp.

The full list of winners was published in The Globe and Mail and on Eluta.ca. Detailed reasons for selection and stories about winning initiatives were released on the competition homepage.

Mediacorp Canada Inc., founded in 1992, publishes employment periodicals and has managed the Canada’s Top 100 Employers project since 1999. The project includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions. The company also operates Eluta.ca, a Canadian job search engine that drew 2.4 million users last year.

Full list of winners