Over the last 150 years, many successful companies got their start right here in Canada.
We have comprised a shortlist of 15 companies that have soared to great heights, beginning their ascent in Canada. Of course, this list is not exhaustive, but instead 15 of the more recognizable Canadian brand names.
1. Hudson’s Bay Company - Commonly referred to as The Bay (La Baie in French), is a Canadian retail business group, incorporated by English royal charter in 1670.
2. Lululemon - Founded by Chip Wilson in Vancouver, BC in 1998, Lululemon is a yoga-inspired, technical athletic apparel company for women and men.
3. Hootsuite - A platform for managing social media, created by Ryan Holmes in Vancouver, BC in 2008. The system’s user interface takes the form of a dashboard, and supports social network integrations.
4. Cineplex Entertainment - Operates 162 theatres with 1,640 screens in all 10 Canadian provinces from coast to coast, serving approximately 71-million guests annually.
5. Telus Communications – A Canadian national telecommunications company, formed in 1990, that provides a wide-range of telecommunications products and services. The company is based in the Vancouver, BC area; it was originally based in Edmonton, Alberta, before its merger with BCTel in 1999.
6. Roots Canada - Opened its first store on Yonge St. near the Rosedale subway station, in Toronto in August 1973. Its headquarters remain in Toronto and its products are made in Canada.
7. McCain Foods - In 1957 Wallace and Harrison McCain, along with their brothers Robert and Andrew, founded McCain Foods. They opened the first production facility in their hometown of Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada.
8. Canadian Tire - A Canadian retail company that sells a wide-range of automotive, sports and leisure, and home products. In 1934, the first official associate store opened in Hamilton, Ontario. What’s more Canadian than a store that gives you back money to thank you for shopping?
9. Tim Hortons - A Canadian multinational fast food restaurant known for its coffee and donuts. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Toronto Maple Leafs’ defenceman, Tim Horton and his business partner, Jim Charade.
10. Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) - A Canadian consumers' cooperative that specializes in outdoor recreation gear and clothing exclusively to its members. MEC was founded in Vancouver, BC in 1971, and is notable for its commitment to environmental protection and other causes.
11. Westjet - A Canadian airline founded in 1996. It began as a low-cost alternative to the country's competing major airlines that has since become the second-largest Canadian air carrier.
12. Loblaws - A Canadian food retailer, founded by Theodore Loblaw and John Milton Cork in 1919. The store brand President’s Choice is an iconic Canadian brand.
13. Rogers Communications - A Canadian communications and media company that dates to 1960, when Ted Rogers founded Rogers Radio Broadcasting Ltd.
14. Air Canada - The flag carrier and largest airline of Canada, founded in 1937. It provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 182 destinations worldwide.
15. Bombardier - A Canadian multinational aerospace and transportation company, founded by Joseph-Armand Bombardier as L'Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitée (loosely translated to "Bombardier Snow Car Limited") on July 10, 1942, at Valcourt in the Eastern Townships, Quebec.