TORONTO, April 2, 2026 /CNW/ - As Canada's workforce undergoes a profound demographic shift, the way organizations are supporting employees in the second half of their careers is emerging as a defining measure of workplace quality for all generations. Today, Mediacorp Canada Inc. announced the winners of the Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2026), recognizing organizations that lead the way in supporting experienced employees through carefully planned benefits, inclusive HR policies, and long-term career design.

Canada's workforce is older than ever. Nearly one in five Canadians is now aged 65 or older, and workers aged 40+ represent a growing share of the labour force. At the same time, declining birth rates and longer life expectancy mean that many Canadians will spend more years working — and more years in retirement — than any previous generation. These trends are reshaping how employers think about careers, benefits and support across an employee's full working career.

"For many employees, priorities evolve significantly in the second half of their careers," says Kristina Leung, managing editor at Mediacorp. "They're thinking about financial security, caregiving responsibilities, and how to transition into retirement on their own terms. The best employers recognize this and provide meaningful support — from financial planning and health benefits to flexible work and phased-in retirement options — so employees can navigate these changes with confidence."

While retirement benefits and long-term planning tools may seem distant to younger workers, they offer one of the clearest signals of an employer's underlying values.

"How an organization treats its most experienced employees is one of the strongest predictors of how it will treat its newest hires," says Richard Yerema, executive editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project, now in its 26^th year. "If an employer is willing to invest in people over decades — through career development, financial security, and respectful transitions into retirement — it reflects a culture of long-term commitment. For younger employees, it shows whether the organization is built for long-term careers, not just jobs."

Yerema adds that as generational turnover accelerates, employers that design for longevity gain a strategic advantage. "Organizations that think in 20- or 30-year horizons understand that today's 25-year-old hire is tomorrow's senior leader or mentor. The most forward-looking employers build systems that support employees at every stage and ensure knowledge, skills, and culture are passed on to the next generation."

Since 2001, the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers have published an annual list of the best workplaces for older Canadians. These employers lead the nation in creating special programs and benefits of interest to employees in the second half of their careers. Until 2007, this competition was called the "Top Ten Employers for Experienced Workers" and published annually as an appendix to the Canada's Top 100 Employers paperback. In 2010, the competition was renamed the Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 to reflect a wider range of initiatives and programs considered in selecting the winners. Each employer is evaluated by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers in terms of whether they: (1) offer interesting programs to assist older workers; (2) actively recruit new workers aged 40 years or older; (3) have HR policies that take into account the unique concerns of older workers, such as recognizing outside work experience in determining vacation entitlement; (4) offer a pension plan with reasonable employer contributions; (5) provide assistance to older employees with retirement and succession planning; (6) create opportunities for retirees to stay socially connected to former co-workers, such as through organized social activities and volunteering; (7) provide health coverage and similar benefits for employees after retirement; and (8) offer programs such as mentorship and phased-in retirement to ease the emotional challenges of retirement and ensure older employees' skills are transferred to the next generation. The winners of this competition are chosen exclusively from the current winners of the annual Canada's Top 100 Employers project.

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 lets job-seekers search job postings directly from employer websites. Last year, 2.4 million unique visitors used Mediacorp's online sites to explore new job opportunities and learn about Canada's leading employers.

The full list of Top Employers for Canadians Over 40 (2026) was announced today on Eluta.ca. Detailed 'reasons for selection', along with additional stories and photos about the winners' initiatives, were released today and are accessible via the competition homepage.

Join the discussion about today's announcement on social media:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/canada's-top-100-employers/
Instagram & Facebook: @topemployers
Twitter/X: @top_employers
Hashtags: #TopEmployers2026

SOURCE Mediacorp Canada Inc.