By Adam Burton, Postmedia Content Works
Companies competing for talent are offering better perks, benefits and career opportunities
Montréal is a city where history and innovation intersect. In the Old Port’s cobbled streets, legacy companies with deep-rooted traditions and cultures share walls with businesses in emerging and dynamic industries, creating a unique corporate ecosystem that benefits employees in ways that few cities can match. As companies try to attract talent, they offer innovative benefits and cultures that raise the bar for employers across the city. This is on full display in Montréal’s Top Employers (2025), a competition that, for two decades, has highlighted the most progressive employers in the city. This year, 75 organizations were honoured, an increase of five in a sign of the growing competitiveness of the project.
In his time as executive editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Richard Yerema has noticed a cross-pollination effect as companies in emerging industries and legacy businesses meet each other’s benefit offerings as they compete for workers. “Some of the newer organizations will come out with things like work from anywhere,” says Yerema. “Some of the older organizations have to adapt to ensure that they’re able to remain competitive, because they are recruiting the same talent.”
Evolving employee expectations
As workers’ lifestyles and needs change, companies adjust their offerings accordingly. Time off is particularly important to Montréalers, and employers have responded by expanding vacation policies. According to Yerema, the percentage of companies offering two weeks of vacation to start has dropped from 33 per cent to just six per cent, with wide adoption of four-week and even unlimited time-off policies. Groupe Dynamite, a cutting-edge leader in the fashion industry, has adjusted its benefits to attract top talent. “After COVID, we completely revamped our offerings to support our employees,” says Sarah Paula Brami, senior vice-president of talent and culture at Groupe Dynamite. “We added telemedicine, mental health programs and all kinds of new benefits. We did this not just to stay competitive, but to meet our employees’ needs.”
Developing internal talent
With skilled labour in high demand and employee turnover growing, companies that invest in their employees are increasingly attractive to workers. Businesses that prioritize talent development and training programs retain employees at a higher rate and encourage long-term careers. Montréal-based maritime shipping company Fednav, a multi-time honouree on the Montréal’s Top Employer list, has embraced this approach. Three years ago, the company started its two-year shipping training program designed to introduce new hires to all aspects of the industry. The goal of programs like this is to foster long-term careers — not only training employees, but retaining them.
The shipping training program is a two-year program where we recruit somebody and expose them to every facet of our business, they spend time in every department. We also send them to maritime school in Copenhagen.
Stefany Corey, Senior manager, Communications, Fednav
Redefining workplace culture
Beyond traditional benefits, another area that employers focus on is culture. Employees are looking for more than a paycheque. Companies have recognized this, with many creating dynamic and inclusive environments. This is particularly noteworthy in Montréal, says Kristina Leung, managing editor at Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
“The employers really emphasize wanting to develop strong organizational cultures,” says Leung. “They create workplaces where employees have opportunities to strengthen their personal and professional relationships through social events or other kinds of in-person activities.” Matrox, a video card and computer hardware company based in Montréal, operates in a fast-changing industry where adaptability is the key to success. The company has put considerable effort into developing a workplace culture that balances innovation with community. “Our company is very close-knit — you can always talk to anybody at any level of the business,” says Isabelle Montpetit, vice-president of human resources at Matrox. “We really try to provide that work-life balance. There’s flexible time and we try to create spaces where they can develop other skills — we even have a swimming pool and basketball courts.”
A future-focused workplace
Montréal boasts some of Canada’s most progressive employers, ensuring that employees receive competitive compensation, career opportunities and inclusive work cultures that promote productivity and well-being. When companies innovate workplace policies, they aren’t just attracting top talent, they’re shaping the future of work itself. As legacy operations and up-and-coming businesses propel each other forward, employees reap the rewards. The Montréal’s Top Employers (2025) competition continues to prove that when companies put their people first, everyone comes out ahead.