An employee at Onondaga Farms, operated by Tim Horton Children's Foundation, one of this year's winners. (Photo: K.Hollinrake)

Meet the 2026 winners, raising the bar in Canada's fastest-growing community.

Published Jan. 13, 2026

About the competition

Now in its 19th year, Waterloo Area's Top Employers is an editorial competition that recognizes the employers in the Kitchener-Waterloo and Guelph area that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Each year, the project’s editors release detailed reasons for selection explaining why each of the winners is chosen. This provides transparency in the selection of winners and lets readers discover best practices among the region's top employers. Any employer, private or public sector, with its head office or principal place of business in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, or Guelph may apply to the competition. For more background on this year's competition, read the press release