No. 1  Bruce GM
Automotive sales, service, & financing
Middleton, N.S.
www.brucegm.com
48 employees: 87% male, 13% female
Executive team: 87% male, 13% female 

Bruce GM offers its employees plenty of flexibility to keep their work lives in balance with their family lives. It offers managers and some sales staff laptops, cell phones, and other equipment to work from home when needed; it cross-trains its employees to allow for job-sharing and seamless vacation/sick time coverage; and even invites employees to bring their children to work to use the showroom’s play area during school storm days or early dismissals. 

No. 2  SwiftRadius
IT consulting
Fredericton, N.B.
www.swiftradius.com
28 employees: 62% male, 38% female
Executive team: 100% male 

Swift Radius is all about sharing. On the financial side, the company’s profit-sharing program consists of a “bonus pool” that’s generated from earnings above specific targets, and is distributed amongst the team. When it comes to communications, every employee takes part in a 360-degree evaluation. Each new hire also receives a cell phone and laptop, and three weeks of vacation after the first year of employment. 

No. 3  Farm Credit Canada
Agricultural financial lending
Moncton, N.B.
www.fcc-fac.ca
92 employees: 40% male, 60% female
Executive team: 87% male, 13% female 

Farm Credit Canada is a national organization based in Regina, with nine offices in Atlantic Canada. It pays 100% of health care and dental coverage to employees and their dependents, starting the first day of employment, and offers three weeks of vacation after the first year. Employees are also able to work an extra 30 minutes each day in exchange for one full day off every three weeks. 

No. 4  Dillon Consulting
Engineering consulting
Saint John & Fredericton, N.B.; Halifax & Sydney, N.S.
www.dillon.ca
96 employees: 63% male, 37% female 

Dillon Consulting is a national company with four offices in Atlantic Canada. It offers bonus, stock option, and profit-sharing programs, and conducts 360-degree employee evaluations with all staff members. It pays 100% of medical and dental coverage, as well as long-term disability and life insurance, and tops up maternity benefits to 70% of the employee’s salary. 

No. 5  Premiere Executive Suites
Accommodations
Halifax & Sydney, N.S.; Fredericton & Moncton, N.B.; St. John’s, N.L.
www.premieresuites.com
36 employees: 23% male, 77% female
Executive team: 32% male, 68% female 

Now headquartered in Mississauga, Ont., Premiere Executive Suites has five locations in Atlantic Canada. It offers 360-degree employee evaluations for all staff members, bonus programs, and recognition awards for five, 10, 15, and 20 years of service. Employees receive a discount on accommodation rental fees, and encourage staff to take paid time off for volunteer or community service work.

No. 6  Directors’ Choice
Communications centre for funeral home industry
Saint John, N.B.
www.dchoice.com
64 employees: 30% male, 70% female
Executive team: 25% male, 75% female 

Directors’ Choice conducts 360-degree employee evaluations for all staff members, and now offers a telecommuting option for employees. It pays 100% of the costs for medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage, as well as for long-term care insurance, and short- and long-term disability plans. The company also maintains daily, monthly, and annual recognition programs that reward such things as performance and random acts of kindness. 

No. 7  Ritch Durnford Lawyers
Legal services
Halifax, N.S.
www.ritchdurnford.com
35 employees: 35% male, 65% female
Executive team: 100% male 

Ritch Durnford likes to maintain a family-friendly atmosphere—from allowing employees to work from home when they’re dealing with child-care issues to the annual family summer picnic. The firm also provides an annual “Winter Day” that employees can take off to spend with family in whatever way they please. Staff members share the costs of health, dental, and vision coverage with the firm, but those on maternity leave receive a 95% salary top-up.

No. 8  OMISTA Credit Union
Financial services
Moncton, N.B.
www.omista.com
53 employees: 15% male, 85% female
Executive team: 67% male, 33% female 

OMISTA Credit Union offers each of its employees a $300 annual taxable benefit for health and wellness, to go toward anything from gym memberships and home exercise equipment to dietician consultations and exercise classes. On the communication front, each branch has daily team meetings to deal not only with the business at hand but also act as team-building sessions, as well as quarterly all-employee breakfast meetings. 

No. 9  Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union
Financial services
St. John’s, N.L.
www.nlcu.com
129 employees: 15% male, 85% female
Executive team: 33% male, 66% female 

The NLCU provides its employees with fully paid benefits including medical, prescription, dental, vision, long-term care, short-term disability, and life insurance. After one year of work, employees receive three weeks of vacation, but are allowed up to six weeks’ worth. The company offers flex time arrangements, as well as “time trades” in which employees can work an extra half-hour every day in exchange for a full day off every three weeks. 

No. 10  TD Insurance
Insurance services
Saint John, N.B.; Halifax, N.S.
www.tdinsurance.com
404 employees: 36% male, 64% female
Executive team: 61% male, 39% female 

The insurance division of TD Canada Trust, TD Insurance has 404 employees spread throughout Atlantic Canada. The company conducts 360-degree evaluations with all employees, and maintains a program called Choice @ Work that offers job-sharing, flex-time, and telecommuting options. The Saint John location has a full-service gym on site, while the Halifax office provides massage therapy on a monthly basis. 

No. 11  Corporate Research Associates Inc.
Market research
Halifax, N.S.
www.cra.ca
28 employees: 17% male, 83% female
Executive team: 33% male, 67% female 

Corporate Research Associates offers cash bonuses to its employees, as well as a “Peer Choice” award of a $1,500 RRSP contribution to the employee voted by fellow staff as the most valuable team member. There are 360-degree evaluations conducted with each employee, and the company pays 100% of the premiums for: medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage; life insurance; and short- and long-term disability plans. 

No. 12  Cambridge Suites Hotel, Sydney
Accommodations/hospitality
Sydney, N.S.
www.centennialhotels.com
77 employees: 36% male, 64% female
Executive team: 50% male, 50% female 

Employees at Cambridge Suites Hotel in Sydney have a choice of two benefits packages, both of which are shared-cost with their employer. The hotel has a roof-top fitness centre with exercise equipment, lap pool, and sauna, all of which is available free of charge to employees during their off hours. Every second Wednesday employees are offered a free “heart smart” lunch. Stress management courses, annual flu shots, and chiropractic seminars are also provided. 

No. 13  Bayview Credit Union Limited
Financial services
Saint John, N.B.
www.bayviewnb.com
106 employees: 18% male, 82% female
Executive team: 40% male, 60% female 

Bayview Credit Union pays 80% of the premiums for medical, prescription, vision, and dental coverage, as well as 100% of the life insurance and long-term disability plans. Every year the organization hosts a free wellness clinic for all staff members, which includes glucose, blood pressure, BMI, and cholesterol screening. Each October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) it hosts a women’s wellness clinic to offer the services of a nutritionist, nurse, and mini massages. 

No. 14  VistaCare Communications
Telecommunications
Dartmouth, N.S.
www.vistacaretech.com
68 employees: 87% male, 13% female
Executive team: 80% male, 20% female 

Employees at VistaCare Communications are allowed to work from home during days of bad weather, or for personal reasons such as school snow days. The company sponsors a number of teams and activities that employees’ children are part of, and does two family events each year: a summer barbecue and a winter/spring event. 

No. 15  Deloitte
Professional services
Saint John, N.B.; Halifax, N.S.; St. John’s, N.L.
www.deloitte.ca
223 employees: 44% male, 56% female
Executive team: 67% male, 33% female 

A global company with its origins stretching back over 150 years, Deloitte has three offices and 223 employees in Atlantic Canada. The company pays 100% of the medical coverage, life insurance, and short-term disability plan, while it shares the cost of the prescription, dental, and vision plans with employees. Each year staff members receive a $700 Health Spending Account which they can use to pay for health care premiums, cover eligible medical expenses, or invest in RRSPs. 

No. 16  Cox & Palmer
Legal services
Saint John, N.B.
www.coxandpalmer.com
442 employees: 30% male, 70% female
Executive team: 85% male, 15% female 

Cox & Palmer conducts 360-degree evaluations with every staff member, offers bonus programs, and matches employee retirement savings contributions. The firm also pays 100% of the premiums for medical, prescription, vision, and dental coverage, and offers $300 a year for gym memberships or other fitness activities. The legal professionals at the firm have the option of telecommuting, while other staff members who want or need to work less than a full week are able to job-share. 

No. 17  CAA Maritimes
Auto club, travel agency, insurance
Saint John, N.B.
www.caa.maritimes.ca
100 employees: 28% male, 72% female
Executive team: 100% male 

Headquartered in Saint John, N.B., the Maritime division of the national auto club has six member service centres in the New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia. The organization has a number of bonus programs for its employees, including annual performance-based bonuses and an annual Christmas bonus. It will pay the costs of continuing education courses for employees, and provides paid time off for employees to care for sick family members. 

No. 18  Wilson Insurance Ltd.
Insurance services
Fredericton, N.B.
www.wilsoninsurance.ca
47 employees: 21% male, 79% female
Executive team: 75% male, 25% female 

Wilson Insurance conducts 360-degree evaluations with all staff members, and matches employee retirement savings contributions to a maximum of $2,000. The company pays 100% of the cost of medical, prescription, vision, and dental coverage, with eligibility starting the first day of employment. For those whose jobs allow them to, there is a work from home/away program that enables telecommuting. 

No. 19  AMIRIX Systems Inc.
Manufacturing
Halifax, N.S.
www.vemco.com
71 employees: 60% male, 40% female
Executive team: 71% male, 29% female 

AMIRIX pays 100% of the cost of medical, vision, dental, and short-term disability plans, and offers telecommuting, compressed work week, and flex time options to employees. The company conducts health risk assessments for staff members, as well as wellness challenges and nutrition lunch and learn sessions. All employees are entitled to up to $150 per year for fitness related costs such as gym memberships and fitness classes. 

No. 20  SDMM
Surveying and engineering consulting
Halifax, N.S.
www.sdmm.ca
30 employees: 82% male, 12% female
Executive team: 100% male 

SDMM matches employees’ retirement savings contributions, and pays 100% of the cost of medical, prescription, and vision coverage, as well as long-term care insurance. It offers three weeks of vacation after the first year of employment, while management maintains an open-door policy for all staff members. 

No. 21  Bergengren Credit Union
Financial services
Antigonish, N.S.
www.bergengrencu.com
64 employees: 14% male, 86% female
Executive team: 40% male, 60% female 

Bergengren Credit Union matches employees’ retirement savings contributions, and pays 100% of the cost of medical, prescription, vision, and dental coverage, as well as life insurance. The company pays $250 towards Nubody’s gym memberships for employees, conducts in-house wellness sessions with guest speakers, and pay the full costs of smoking cessation programs and ergonomic assessments. 

No. 22  Heritage Credit Union
Financial services
Dartmouth, N.S.
www.heritagecu.com
56 employees: 13% male, 87% female
Executive team: 33% male, 66% female 

The employees at Heritage Credit Union’s corporate office are allowed to use the pool and fitness facilities next door at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, free of charge five days a week. All employees also receive a corporate discount at a local fitness centre. The company offers scholarships to children and grandchildren of staff members, and pays the costs of continuing education courses for employees.

No. 23  Cooke Insurance Group
Insurance services
Charlottetown, P.E.I.
www.cooke.ca
45 employees: 36% male, 64% female
Executive team: 25% male, 75% female 

Cooke Insurance conducts 360-degree evaluations with all employees, and maintains bonus and profit-sharing programs. The company pays 100% of the cost of medical, prescription, dental, and vision coverage, as well as life insurance. Employees have the option of working flexible hours, and can receive up to $150 each year for fitness-related costs. Each staff member also receives a paid holiday on his or her birthday. 

No. 24  McInnes Cooper
Legal services
Halifax, N.S.
www.mcinnescooper.ca
267 employees: 20% male, 80% female
Executive team: 70% male, 30% female 

Headquartered in Halifax, McInnes Cooper has seven offices throughout Atlantic Canada. The firm matches employees’ retirement savings contributions, and pays 100% of job-related continuing education costs. On the health and wellness front, it conducts Weight Watchers at Work sessions, and contributes 50% of fitness-related costs up to a maximum amount each year. 

No. 25  AML Communications Inc.
Retail telecommunications
Dartmouth, N.S.
www.amlnet.com
62 employees: 62% male, 38% female
Executive team: 50% male, 50% female

AML Communications offers bonus and incentive programs to all employees, and matches retirement savings contributions. The company offers telecommuting, job-share, and compressed work week options on a case-by-case basis to allow for such things as employees transitioning back to work after parental leaves, or those pursuing post-secondary education.

METHODOLOGY
To be named one of the Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada is a distinction. The program recognizes employers that make it a priority to create rewarding environments for their employees. Each year, Progress partners with Best Companies Group, based in Harrisburg, PA., to benefit from its experience in North American regions characterized by small-and-medium-sized companies, as well as large workplaces, both private, public, and non-profit. The result is a ranking of 25 organizations with a minimum of 25 employees that scored above average based on a detailed analysis of individual, workgroup, and organizational insights. Participants completed an extensive two-part survey, including an organizational overview in addition to an in-depth employee questionnaire. The survey, analysis, and list selection were managed by Best Companies Group (BCG), a research and consulting firm specializing in workplace excellence. Every participant received an Employee Feedback Report from BCG.