The top 100 national and global companies with offices in B.C. employ 180,000 British Columbians, which is 9.8% of working people in the province, according to information compiled by Business in Vancouver. This is down from 10.1% in 2015 and 13.3% in 2014.
The companies each employ an average of 1,800 people in B.C. and an average of 70,500 globally. The average revenue of the top 100 is $5.5 billion.
According to BIV data, retail stores, banks and quick-service restaurants are the largest employers of British Columbians out of the top 100 global and national companies operating in the province.
The national and global companies that employ the highest number of B.C. residents are the Jim Pattison Group, McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD), Walmart Canada Corp., Telus (TSX:T) and Northland Properties Corp. Each of these companies have held top-10 positions on Business in Vancouver’s list over the past three years.
Major international brands have been reducing the number of British Columbians they employ over the past few years. Three of the top five companies from BIV’s list are headquartered in Vancouver: Telus, Jim Pattison Group and Northland Properties Corp. The latter two were also founded in the city. The larger, international brands like Walmart and McDonald’s have their Canadian headquarters in the Toronto area.
McDonald’s cut its B.C. workforce 35% (15,500 to 10,000) between 2013 and 2016. During the same time, its global workforce remained relatively stable. Walmart reduced its British Columbian workforce 8% (10,000 to 9,200) over the same period while its global workforce grew by 5% adding 100,000 positions.
Telus and Northland Properties each increased their number of provincial and global employees. Telus’ B.C. staff makes up 18% of its workforce. The telecom giant’s global workforce increased 8% from 2013 to 2016; its workforce in British Columbia increased 2% over the same period.
The Jim Pattison Group, which was founded in British Columbia, has 42% of its workforce in the province. It increased its workforce 17% between 2013 and 2016 while its B.C. workforce increased 10%.
Northland Properties, a hotel and restaurant conglomerate, has half of its staff in British Columbia. Its overall workforce has increased 12% since 2013, while its provincial workforce has risen 17%.
Other industries that feature prominently on BIV’s 2016 list of the top national and global companies operating in B.C. include construction supplier and financial and business services.
