The top 100 international and Canadian companies with a presence in B.C. are growing faster than they did five years ago, according to data on Business in Vancouver’s Top 100 National and Global Companies Operating in B.C. list.
In 2019, the top 100 companies grew an average of 5.7% over a one-year period. That is more than eight times the 0.7% one-year growth experienced by the top 100 companies in 2015.
Despite the faster average growth rate, the top 100 national and global companies are employing fewer people on average than they did five years ago. In 2019, the top 100 employed an average of 1,677 people, down 8.8% from 2015 when employment averaged 1,840.
Over the past year, mid-sized companies were better able than larger companies to maintain or increase their employee base.
The majority of mid-sized companies reported minimal or no change in employee numbers, and more mid-sized companies increased their employee base than decreased it.
The same cannot be said for larger companies, most of which posted declines in their employee numbers. However, compared with mid-sized companies, twice as many large companies were able to increase their employee base by 30% or more.
The development sector, including engineering and construction firms, experienced the greatest employment increase on the list. As a whole, the sector increased its employment by 17% or a quarter of all employment increases on the list.
Airlines and aviation had the second-largest employment increase on the list. They grew by 11.1% and accounted for 16.7% of all new hires on the list.
Real estate was the third-highest growth industry, accounting for 12.9% of all new hires on the list.
Out of the top five, No. 1 Jim Pattison Group had the largest increase in employment, growing 9.8% to 21,021 employees in 2019, up from 19,147 employees in 2018.
No. 2 Walmart Canada Corp. had the largest one-year employment decline of the top five, falling 5.7% to 9,500 employees in 2019 from 10,071 in 2018.
No. 99 Kronos Canadian Systems Inc. had the largest one-year employment growth on the list, increasing 76.9% to 46 employees in 2019 from 26 employees in 2018.
No. 61 DHX Media had the largest employment decline, falling 33.7% to 500 employees in 2019 from 755 in 2018. •
