Turning strategy into action
“Inclusion champions” provide the human connection
At Niagara Health, one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2026), Deline Anthonypillai is quietly making an impact – as a quality and patient safety specialist and as a volunteer champion for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
“I see my role as a DEI champion as being both a connector and an amplifier – translating Niagara Health’s DEI priorities into everyday actions and conversations so people feel seen, valued and supported,” says Anthonypillai.
“Champions help ensure equity and inclusion isn’t just a program, but an everyday expectation woven into how teams work and how patients are cared for. It’s about making sure everyone has what they need to truly thrive.”
With 30 DEI champions spread across departments, conversations about equity and inclusion feel routine and safe, not exceptional or risky.
“The human connection is what sparks the real change,” says Anthonypillai. “People need a trusted person who understands those nuances of our workplace culture and can support them without judgment. It also allows for communication from our front lines to those that create these policies.”
The impact is tangible. For example, by incorporating assessment tools and training that recognize how wounds look on different skin tones, staff can better identify and treat injuries.
“By embedding DEI into clinical practice, we’re seeing improved care,” says Anthonypillai. “We’re reducing harm, hospital stays and costs.”
Other winners, such as Thinkific Labs, Inc., a Vancouver-based learning platform, encourage all employees to be champions and lead diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) initiatives. Jeremy Chan, general counsel and corporate secretary, says having champions throughout the organization is critical to bridging the gap between what’s written and what’s lived.
This matters because people do their best work when they feel a true sense of belonging.
“It’s walking the talk,” says Chan, who is also executive champion for the DEIB Advisory Group which holds quarterly open employee forums. “From a governance perspective, an organization will have policies, but policies alone don’t create culture.
“Human champions breathe life into that framework. It’s individuals who really demonstrate through their behaviours what it means and why we value DEIB.”
In a widely dispersed organization where many work virtually, Chan says it’s essential to be very intentional about how they communicate, engage and connect daily beyond transactional meetings.
“I’m passionate about creating opportunities for learning, sharing knowledge and having open conversations,” says Chan. “I love to see those ’Aha’ moments when people learn something new or listen to a different perspective or opinion.
“At the very moment when we’re seeing pushback and erosion of the progress we’ve made on diversity, it’s even more important to keep speaking up and showing, by example, why it matters.”
Methodology:
First published in 2008, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers recognizes employers that have exceptional diversity and inclusiveness programs. This special designation honours employers that foster inclusive workplaces and value the diverse backgrounds of their employees and communities.
Organizations are evaluated by editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers based on programs and initiatives for five groups: women; racialized people; persons with disabilities; Indigenous peoples; and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples. Additional dimensions of diversity are also considered, such as neurodiversity, new Canadians, and gender identity and expression.
Specific areas of review include recruitment, retention, training, education and awareness, and leadership accountability. The editors also review whether the organization has specific measures in place to track progress to achieving its goals.
Any employer that has its head office or principal place of business in Canada may apply for this competition through the Canada’s Top 100 Employers application process. Organizations of any size may participate, whether private or public sector. Employers complete a single application for the national, regional, and special-interest competitions, including Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.
More detailed reasons for selection, explaining why each of the winners was chosen, are published on the competition’s website, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers.
2026 Winners
The following organizations have been chosen as Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2026 (employee count refers to full-time staff):
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa. Federal government, regulation of agricultural marketing and commodities; 5,669 employees. Provides tailored development opportunities for high-potential candidates from employment equity and equity-seeking groups.
Air Canada, Montréal. Air transportation; 36,337 employees. Launched a mentorship program focused on underrepresented groups in mid-level management, with mentorship provided by senior leaders.
Amrize Canada Inc., Calgary. Concrete manufacturing; 6,102 employees. Incorporates diversity and inclusive objectives into senior executives’ annual goals.
Aviva Canada Inc., Markham, Ont. Insurance services; 5,203 employees. Manages dedicated summer student programs for Black and Indigenous students.
Bank of Canada, Ottawa. Central bank; 2,250 employees. Provides two paid personal days for employees who observe traditional and cultural Indigenous practices.
BASF Canada Inc., Mississauga. Chemical manufacturing; 1,040 employees. Requires all people leaders to maintain at least one performance goal specifying how they will advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the organization.
BC Hydro, Vancouver. Hydroelectric power generation; 7,837 employees. Maintains an AccessAbility Network to provide an inclusive community for people living and working with disabilities and their allies.
BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc. / BCIB, Vancouver. Employment services; 92 employees. Provides tailored onboarding and support for Indigenous workers through a dedicated workforce trades mentorship and on-site support team.
BC Public Service, Victoria. Provincial governments; 38,895 employees. Offers an Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service to support Indigenous applicants through the hiring process.
BHP Canada Inc., Saskatoon. Mining; 549 employees. Achieved a significant milestone of 40 per cent female representation across its global workforce in 2025.
BNP Paribas, Montréal. Banking; 1,616 employees. Launched a mentorship program for director-level women to support career pathways to senior roles.
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,571 employees. Created a transgender inclusivity and accommodation policy to provide employees with the necessary support and resources through all stages of transition.
Bruce Power LP, Tiverton, Ont. Nuclear power generation; 4,182 employees. Developed an Indigenous procurement strategy as part of its commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
Canadian Tire Corporation Limited, Toronto. Retail; 12,936 employees. Invests in psychological safety as part of its focus on belonging and partners with the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health to assess its practices.
CBC / Radio-Canada, Ottawa. Public broadcasters; 6,066 employees. Launched a national Indigenous strategy after extensive consultation with Indigenous employees, communities and organizations, outlining its actions towards reconciliation.
Celestica Inc., Toronto. Electronics manufacturing; 1,348 employees. Hosts celebrations in observation of key dates such as Black History Month, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and International Women’s Day.
Children’s Aid Society of Toronto, Toronto. Child and youth services; 658 employees. Supports a mental health in the workplace policy with objectives to increase knowledge, awareness and the destigmatization of mental health and well-being.
Communications Security Establishment / CSE, Ottawa. Federal government, national security; 3,581 employees. Expanded its inclusive hiring efforts by using platforms that reach diverse candidates and is piloting dedicated recruitment initiatives for Indigenous applicants.
Co-operators Group Limited, The, Guelph, Ont. Insurance; 6,595 employees. Launched a new suite of inclusive coverages for clients and employees, including family-forming benefits, coverage for gender affirmation and benefits for Indigenous peoples.
D2L Corporation, Kitchener, Ont. Software publishers; 866 employees. Integrates diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging training into new employee onboarding.
Dentons Canada LLP, Calgary. Law firms; 1,391 employees. Launched a pilot program focused on supporting the progression and development of Black associates and students at the firm.
Desjardins Group / Mouvement Desjardins, Lévis, Que. Financial institutions; 50,908 employees. Offers coverage for gender affirming care as part of its benefits plan, to a lifetime maximum of $50,000.
Emera Inc., Halifax. Electric power generation and distribution and gas distribution; 2,639 employees. Provides access to diversity, equity and inclusion micro-learning courses through the organization’s online learning library, with new courses added each quarter.
Employment and Social Development Canada, Gatineau, Que. Federal government, social development, employment insurance, passport services; 41,081 employees. Supports a dedicated Indigenous recruitment, retention and advancement team that ensures Indigenous perspectives inform the work of the organization.
Export Development Canada, Ottawa. International trade financing and support services; 2,084 employees. Hired a dedicated accessibility lead and created new mandatory training on accessibility, in partnership with its “DiversAbility” employee resource group.
EY, Toronto. Accounting services; 9,000 employees. Supports a three-year inclusive leadership program to accelerate the development of high-potential diverse candidates into leadership roles.
George Brown Polytechnic, Toronto. Post secondary schools, college; 1,579 employees. Developed an inclusive hiring toolkit and provided bias mitigation training for hiring managers.
GHD Ltd., Waterloo, Ont. Engineering services; 2,051 employees. Partners with external organizations to recruit candidates from underrepresented groups.
Gibson Energy Inc., Calgary. Oil and gas distribution; 454 employees. Set targets to increase the representation of women, racial and ethnic minorities, and Indigenous employees in the workforce and amongst senior leadership.
Health Canada / Santé Canada, Ottawa. Federal government, administration of public health programs; 10,046 employees. Launched its Accessibility Passport in 2019, which has since been adopted across the public service to help employees identify accommodation needs and support requirements.
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Toronto. Hospitals; 683 employees. Conducts an applicant demographic survey to better understand the demographics of job seekers, remove barriers to entry and improve representation of equity-deserving groups.
Hyundai Auto Canada Corp., Markham, Ont. Automobile wholesale; 282 employees. Applied an inclusive lens to its health benefits and introduced coverage for surrogacy and fertility treatment, both to a lifetime maximum of $15,000.
ICBC / Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, North Vancouver, B.C. Automobile insurance; 5,541 employees. Established an Indigenous Advisory Council and aims to introduce Indigenous awareness and cultural training safety as part of its Reconciliation Action Plan.
IGM Financial Inc., Winnipeg. Financial services; 3,557 employees. Embeds accountability for diversity, equity and inclusion in performance objectives for all people leaders who have three or more direct reports.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Ottawa. Federal government, industry and economic development programs; 6,619 employees. Recently launched Indigenous Elder Services to share traditional knowledge and beliefs, provide support on Indigenous cultures and protocols and offer guidance on career development.
Jazz Aviation LP, Goffs, N.S. Air transportation; 4,134 employees. Created the BIPOC Pathway program to enhance access to internal career development opportunities.
Liquor Control Board of Ontario / LCBO, Toronto. Liquor distribution; 4,620 employees. Implemented an accessibility-by-design methodology for all projects and initiatives to ensure that accessibility is built in from the start.
Loblaw Companies Ltd., Brampton, Ont. Supermarkets and grocery stores; 29,652 employees. Launched a community grants program, committing $1 million over four years to foster social equity locally, with grant recipients chosen by the company’s employee resource groups.
Manitoba Hydro, Winnipeg. Hydroelectric power generation; 5,188 employees. Created a women’s mechanical technician pre-placement program to provide a gateway for women to enter the organization’s four-year apprenticeship programs.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,743 employees. Created the Mentorship Plus program to help associates from equity-deserving groups develop leadership skills.
McMaster University, Hamilton. Post secondary schools, university; 7,217 employees. Launched the MentorLink program to provide racialized employees with one-on-one and group support in order to advance career growth.
Niagara Health, St Catharines, Ont. Healthcare services; 3,875 employees. Requires diverse interview panels as well as having panelists participate in inclusive recruitment training.
Nunavut, Government of, Iqaluit. Territorial governments; 3,572 employees. Released a 10-year Inuit employment plan that provides strategic direction on government-wide programs and initiatives to increase and enhance Inuit employment.
OpenText Corporation, Waterloo, Ont. Software publishers; 2,690 employees. Created an internship program for Black and Indigenous students, offered in partnership with Lakehead University and the University of Waterloo.
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Toronto. Law firms; 1,426 employees. Created the Advancement of Women Lawyers program to provide mentoring, coaching and training to help women advance into leadership positions.
Ottawa, City of, Ottawa. Municipal governments; 14,088 employees. Adopts a number of inclusive hiring practices, including diverse hiring panels, training for hiring managers and resources on best practices for conducting interviews.
Pink Triangle Press, Toronto. Periodical publisher; 51 employees. Conducts pay reviews to ensure BIPOC employees are paid equitably, according to market standards and internal pay structures.
Procter & Gamble Inc., Toronto. Consumer products manufacturing; 1,792 employees. Created the Power of Minds and Wellbeing team to build a safe and confidential space for employees to listen, share and connect with appropriate resources.
RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust, Toronto. Real estate investment trusts; 505 employees. Has maintained its Women’s Initiative Network since 2017, which strives for inclusive representation of and opportunities for women.
SAP Canada Inc., Vancouver. Custom computer programming services; 3,104 employees. Maintains the Women to Watch and Talent to Watch programs, designed to advance diverse talent through development plans, shadowing senior leaders and access to open positions.
SaskPower, Regina. Electric power generation; 3,471 employees. Implemented the Women in Trades initiative to better understand the experiences of female employees in skilled trade roles.
SaskTel, Regina. Telecommunications; 2,946 employees. Maintains a new Canadians recruitment strategy and works with organizations that provide settlement and integration services.
Scotiabank, Toronto. Banking; 41,943 employees. Provides five paid days of traditional Indigenous practice leave, supporting employees to participate in cultural practices and events.
Staples Canada ULC, Richmond Hill, Ont. Retail; 5,617 employees. Created diversity, equity and inclusion “office hours” to foster open dialogue and understanding on related topics.
Statistics Canada / Statistique Canada, Ottawa. Federal government, national statistics agency; 6,010 employees. Created a 12-month sponsorship program for equity-deserving employees, matching them with executive and management-level employees who advocate for their career development.
TD Bank Group, Toronto. Banking; 63,935 employees. Maintains a dedicated talent acquisition team focused solely on sourcing, attracting and advocating for hiring talent from diverse communities.
Thales Canada Inc., Ottawa. Aerospace systems; 1,368 employees. Sets internal diversity and inclusion objectives such as the creation of new employee resource groups, new training and development programs, and improvements to talent review processes.
Thinkific Labs, Inc., Vancouver. Online learning software; 271 employees. Maintains equitable recruitment practices such as unconscious bias training for hiring managers and gender-neutral language in job descriptions.
Toronto, City of, Toronto. Municipal governments; 25,791 employees. Implemented a corporate smudging policy to affirm the rights of Indigenous employees to engage in ceremonial medicine burning in the workplace.
TransLink (South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority), New Westminster, B.C. Public transit; 8,369 employees. Includes mandatory training modules on diversity and inclusion as part of its onboarding process for new hires, with topics such as cross-cultural awareness, 2SLGBTQ1A+ inclusion and unconscious bias.
UBC / University of British Columbia, Vancouver. Post secondary schools, university; 16,599 employees. Offers Indigenous leave for ceremonial, cultural and spiritual events, up to two paid days of leave for employees who self-identify as Indigenous.
Unity Health Toronto, Toronto. Hospitals; 7,228 employees. Helps diverse talent advance through a number of in-house initiatives, including coaching sessions for BIPOC employees and mentoring for employees from equity-seeking groups.
Université de Montréal, Montréal. Post secondary schools, university; 6,091 employees. Appointed its first special advisor of equity, diversity and inclusion to the rector, who helped coordinate the development of three-year diversity and inclusion action plans.
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg. Post secondary schools, university; 5,461 employees. Created Indigenous Connect, dedicated meetings to enable Indigenous faculty, staff, students and allies to discuss Indigenous-focused initiatives.
University of Toronto, Toronto. Post secondary schools, university; 13,313 employees. Provides training and education on a variety of topics, including advancing diversity and inclusion, racial discrimination and harassment, and addressing microaggressions.
University of Victoria, Victoria. Post secondary schools, university; 3,220 employees. Created an Indigenous Employee Guide to provide an overview of specialized support and resources available to new Indigenous employees, including access to Indigenous Elders.
Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver. Hospitals; 15,790 employees. Offers team-based recognition grants of $500 for employees to pilot initiatives that support appreciation practices, foster diversity or demonstrate inclusion and belonging.
Women’s College Hospital, Toronto. Hospitals; 780 employees. Provides unconscious bias training for management and recruitment panel members.
YMCA of Greater Toronto, Toronto. Individual and family services; 3,600 employees. Launched a leadership development program for Black employees, designed in consultation with the organization’s Black experience staff advisory committee.
York University, Toronto. Post secondary schools, university; 4,997 employees. Released a framework on Black inclusion along with an action plan that includes a review of recruitment processes to improve opportunities for Black applicants and the creation of a Black staff network.
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Advertising feature produced by Canada’s Top 100 Employers, a division of Mediacorp Canada Inc. The Globe and Mail’s editorial department was not involved.