BC's top employers of 2023 have been named and some of them might surprise you

A new list of the best places to work in British Columbia has dropped and there are some big names mentioned among them.

BC’s Top Employers 2023 named dozens of companies, from BC Hydro to Coast Capital Savings Federal Credit Union, and outlined the reasons why they made the cut, from their benefits to their wellness incentives.

No surprise, many employers were recognized for their hybrid work model, which has only gained in popularity in recent years. Telus Communications Inc. has been allowing employees to work from home since 2006 and gives them $1,000 for home office set-up.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia got on the list because “employees have the ability to extend their time out of office by combining up to four weeks of remote work with vacation time.”

Other companies were named for their training programs. BC Assessment provides “ongoing employee education with generous tuition subsidies for courses taken externally, to $7,500 per year.”

BC Housing Management Commission made the list for its “training on a variety of diversity topics, including respect in the workplace, unconscious bias, and anti-racism.”

Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock

The City of Vancouver’s more than 8,000 employees can take advantage of “ongoing employee development throughout their careers, from paid internships and apprenticeships to tuition subsidies for courses at outside academic institutions.”

Vacation and benefits top of mind

ICBC was recognized for its work-life balance efforts as it supports parents with older kids through an academic scholarship program for children of employees up to $2,000 per child per year.

The City of Coquitlam was recognized for its benefits program, the Delta Police Department, Delta for its maternity policy that provides new mothers with 95% of their salary for up to 52 weeks, and the City of North Vancouver got the nod as it sponsored wellness workshops, including mental health and yoga classes, for staff.

The dating website Plentyoffish Media ULC supports its 130 employees through its 12-week, full-pay maternity leave top-up for new parents, and video game company Phoenix Labs helps employees save for the future by matching RSP contributions.

Post-secondary schools get high marks

BCIT was mentioned for its Workaway program which allows its employees to work remotely within Canada for up to two weeks a year.

BCIT campus in downtown Vancouver. (BCIT)

Douglas College got the nod for its childcare program for staff.

Simon Fraser University has a generous time-off policy and UBC provides $2,500 annually for mental health coverage.

The University of the Fraser Valley is all about remote work and adapting to post-pandemic needs, whereas the University of Victoria gives staff memberships to their fitness facilities.

Other mentions: Capilano University in North Vancouver, Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, and UNBC.

Some notable entries

A few developers also made the list: Beedie, where employees get $5,000 if they help recruit successful candidates. Century Group Lands Corp., for its maternity policy, and Concert Properties Ltd., for its bonus pay incentives.

British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch also made the list. The union representing the employees made headlines last year after they voted for strike action, which led to major woes in the supply of liquor and cannabis in the province.

CDeWeger/Shutterstock

BC Transit and TransLink were both named.

While Victoria Airport Authority did make the list, Vancouver International Airport Authority did not.

You might also like:
• 22 Metro Vancouver employers named among Canada's best by Forbes
• Canada's top 100 employers were just revealed and hybrid work is king
• Keg restaurants voted one of the best places to work in Canada

Mediacorp Canada Inc, a Toronto-based company, co-published the piece with the Vancouver Sun and says the evaluation process was done by the editors at Canada’s Top 100 Employers. They examined several criteria to make the list including progressive workplace, work atmosphere, health benefits, training and skills development, and community involvement.

To read the full list, click here. 

Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story said ICBC gives employees 16 personal days annually, however, Mediacorp said that has been corrected to reflect the benefit is not available to all employees.