Charting the best course through economic headwaters: Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2026) are announced

Hiring and developing young people is increasingly critical if Canadian businesses – and the country as a whole – are to navigate successfully through a period of profound economic adjustment.

TORONTO, Jan. 20, 2026 /CNW/ - Employers across Canada are increasingly recognizing that supporting their youngest workers is essential to strengthening organizational resilience and helping the country adapt to a rapidly changing economic landscape. By drawing on the skills, perspectives, and adaptability of young people, these organizations are not only developing the next generation of talent -- they are reshaping their own cultures, business models, and capacity for innovation. The best of these efforts were recognized today with the announcement of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2026) by Mediacorp Canada Inc., organizers of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers 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," says Kristina Leung, managing editor at Mediacorp. "It's essential for employers to harness their perspectives and unique skills to create resilience not only within their own organizations but across the economy as a whole."

Today's young workers are entering the labour market amid economic uncertainty, rising financial barriers, and widely reported gaps in workplace readiness. In response, this year's winners are placing greater emphasis on confidence-building, structured onboarding, and early-career support. Mentorship programs and formal career coaching have become central pillars of early-talent strategies, particularly as new graduates and entry-level employees navigate the transition into professional environments.

Many organizations have also expanded social activities and employee resource groups for young professionals, creating supportive spaces for connection, discussion, and knowledge-sharing – including opportunities for leaders to share candid lessons from their own career paths.

"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," says Cypress Weston, assistant editor at Mediacorp. "Through initiatives such as structured career coaching -- where employers set aside dedicated time to explore career paths and support professional goals -- this year's winners are building long-term engagement while helping young people identify opportunities, gain confidence, and progress more quickly."

At the same time, rising training and credentialing costs in certain sectors are creating new barriers to entry. This has been particularly evident in the skilled trades, where certification and training often require significant upfront investment. In response, many of this year's winners now offer financial assistance for professional designations and trade certifications and actively seek feedback from participants to improve and expand these programs.

Now in its 24^th year, Canada's Top Employers for Young People is an editorial competition that recognizes employers offering exceptional workplaces and development programs for people at the start of their careers. Winners are selected by the editorial team behind the Canada's Top 100 Employers project based on the quality and depth of their recruitment, training, mentorship, and career management programs. These include initiatives such as tuition assistance, co-op and work-study placements, structured mentoring, and bonuses for completing professional or trade certifications. The competition is open to any employer, public or private sector, with its head office or principal place of business in Canada.

Founded in 1992, Mediacorp Canada Inc. is the nation's largest publisher of employment periodicals. Since 1999, the Toronto-based publisher has managed the Canada's Top 100 Employers project, which includes 19 regional and special-interest editorial competitions that reach millions of Canadians annually through a variety of magazine and newspaper partners, including The Globe and Mail. Mediacorp also operates Eluta.ca, the largest Canadian job search engine, which draws postings directly from employer websites. Last year, 2.4 million Canadians used Mediacorp's online sites to explore new job opportunities and learn about leading employers.

The full list of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2026) was announced this morning in an extended magazine published online in The Globe and Mail and on Eluta.ca. Detailed reasons for selection, along with hundreds of stories and photos highlighting winning initiatives, were released this morning on the competition homepage.

Join the discussion about today's announcement on social media:

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/canada's-top-100-employers/
Instagram & Facebook: @topemployers
Twitter/X: @top_employers
Hashtags: #TopEmployerForYP, #topemployers2026

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.

Further information: Stephanie Leung, Editor, [email protected]