What are the best companies to work for in Canada?

A chocolate maker, a children’s hospital and several universities are among Canada’s top employers right now, according to a newly released ranking by Forbes.

The business- and lifestyle-focused media company released its annual list of Canada’s “best” employers Wednesday, a ranking based on factors including a competitive salary, opportunities for promotion and work-life balance.

Forbes’ editors said the ranking involved results of more than 40,000 survey responses.

They said they divided the respondents’ list into two categories: testimonies given by current employees and those who know the company through friends, family or industry connections.

Based on this criteria, Forbes gave the top spot to Hershey Co., noting its “family-friendly” work hours and training initiatives, and the added perk that employees get to sample “the newest chocolate creation.”

Also in the top five were the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), Brock University, Elections Canada and Concordia University, which all scored high for their commitments to employee wellness, Forbes said.

Of the top 100 employers on the list, about 20 per cent are organizations in education, while 15 per cent are government organizations.

Here are Forbes’ picks for the top 25:

1. The Hershey Company
2. Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)
3. Brock University
4. Elections Canada
5. Concordia University
6. Government of Prince Edward Island
7. Hydro-Quebec
8. Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB)
9. Parks Canada
10. Fisheries and Oceans Canada
11. Canadian Mental Health Association
12. Carleton University
13. The Keg Steakhouse + Bar
14. Western Financial Group
15. Bank of Canada
16. Google
17. Ville de Quebec
18. WM (Waste Management Inc.)
19. Mount Royal University
20. Pratt & Whitney
21. Okanagan College
22. Ontario Power Generation
23. Universite de Sherbrooke
24. Laval University
25. BC Hydro

Read the full list of 300 employers on Forbes’ website.

Methodology

Forbes says its list was created with market research firm Statista, which surveyed more than 40,000 people working for Canadian companies that employ at least 500 people.

Responses were tallied to give each company a score. The top 300 highest-ranking companies made the list.