This is where BC's billionaires rank among the richest in the world
Editor’s note: This piece incorrectly stated the ownership of Loblaws, it has since been corrected.
There are now more billionaires than ever, and many of them reside right here in BC.
According to Forbes’ 2024 World’s Billionaires List, which ranks the richest people on the planet, 67 Canadians made the list — many of whom have roots in BC.
We went through the Forbes list to see where billionaires from BC rank among the richest in the world:
Facebook/Changpeng Zhao | Iryna Budanova/Shutterstock
Chinese-Canadian coder Changpeng Zhao (who goes by CZ) is the second richest Canadian to make the list after the richest Canadian family to make the list, David Thomson and his family. However, Zhao is still listed as the 50th richest billionaire in the world. He is the founder and former CEO of the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world, Binance.
In the late 1980s, Zhao’s family immigrated to Canada when he was a young teen and settled down in Vancouver. In 2022, his net worth was a whopping $65 billion. However, in 2023, his net worth dropped to $10.5 billion, the same year Zhao pled guilty to charges of fraud and money laundering and awaits sentencing in the US. He retains an estimated 90% stake in Binance. The 47-year-old’s net worth increased to $33 billion in 2024.
Born and raised in Vancouver, David Cheriton is a professor emeritus at Stanford University. According to Forbes, he “made his fortune thanks to an early investment in Google.” He is worth $12.6 billion and ranks 156th among the richest in the world and third in the country. Over the past two years, his net worth has slightly decreased from $12.2 billion in 2022.
Jim Pattison Surrey Memorial Hospital
After Cheriton, Jim Pattison is listed as the fourth richest Canadian. Pattison is a household name not only in BC but across the country. This Vancouver-based businessman oversees a sprawling group that operates 24 divisions, including packaging, food, and entertainment. Stores like Save-On-Foods, Buy-Low Foods, Pharmacy, and Urban Fare are owned by the Jim Pattison Group.
Pattison is the fourth richest man in Canada and 263rd in the world, with a net worth of $9.3 billion, which is a drop from his $12.2 billion in 2022. The 95-year-old continues to be hands-on in his operations.
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Here are other British Columbians who made the list of The Richest People In The World:
334th richest person
Vancouver-born winemaker Anthony von Mandl created the ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages White Claw Hard Seltzer and Mike’s Hard Lemonade through his Mark Anthony Brands. His net worth is $7.7 billion.
403rd richest person
Vancouver resident, entrepreneur, and Lululemon founder Chip Wilson made the list. His net worth is $6.8 billion.
803rd richest person
Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist from Kamloops, Bob Gaglardi, founded Northland Properties, which is a parent company to multiple hotel chains, restaurants, sports teams, and construction. His net worth is $3.8 billion.
1,694th richest person
Max Lytvyn cofounded the popular grammar-checking tool Grammarly and has lived in Vancouver. He is currently the head of growth strategy and has a net worth of $1.9 billion.
1,851st richest person
Born in the north end of BC’s Sunshine Coast (Lund), Stewart Butterfield later became the co-founder and CEO of team-based messaging software Slack. His net worth is $1.7 billion.
2,046th richest person
Vancouver-born Brandt Louie is president and CEO of H.Y. Louie Co. and chairman of London Drugs. His net worth is $1.5 billion.
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