Stories, insights, and action from Canada’s employee ownership community.

Advocacy in Action: A National Effort to Advance Employee Ownership
Over the past several months, we have seen a remarkable level of engagement, leadership, and collective action across the employee ownership community. Together, we have elevated this issue in meaningful ways and made a strong, unified case for why employee ownership must be part of Canada’s economic future.

Progress on Policy: Bill C-15

Recent updates passed under Bill C-15 have introduced important changes that improve access to employee ownership structures for business owners, enabling a greater number of businesses held in personal holding companies to qualify for the tax incentive. These changes were informed in part by the work of Employee Ownership Canada’s Expert Advisory Committee, whose coordinated efforts helped shape more practical and accessible pathways for sellers. This is a meaningful step forward and a clear example of how expert input and sustained advocacy can influence policy.

Business Leader Letter: A Powerful Signal to Government

We were proud to mobilize 32 prominent Canadian business leaders who stepped forward to publicly call on the federal government to strengthen employee ownership in Canada by making the capital gains tax exemption permanent.

This was more than a letter. It was a clear and coordinated signal from respected leaders across sectors who put their names, their organizations, and their networks behind this issue. They did not just sign. They led. They shared, amplified, and activated their communities to ensure this message reached policymakers and Canadians alike.

We extend particular thanks to champions including Darryl White (BMO), Douglas Ndegwa (Spartan Controls), and Geoff Smith (EllisDon Inc.), who played a critical role in engaging peers and expanding the reach of this effort. Their leadership helped transform this initiative into a national call to action.

Read the letter

National Open Letter: Canadians Stepping Forward
We also invited Canadians from across the country to lend their voices through a public open letter, and the response was immediate and powerful.

We surpassed our initial goal within days and this message resonated far beyond the business community. Employees, owners, and individuals new to employee ownership quickly recognized its potential to address succession challenges, strengthen local economies, and create more inclusive wealth.

View the full letter and supporters

Sector Collaboration

We came together with the Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation and Co-operatives and Mutuals Canada, to represent a broad and diverse ecosystem of employee-owned businesses, co-operatives, and the advisors who support them.

Together, we urged the federal government to act. Together, we reinforced that employee ownership is not a niche solution, but a national opportunity.

This collaboration reflects something bigger than any one organization. It represents a shared commitment across the sector to build a stronger, more inclusive Canadian economy.

Read the joint letter

Government Engagement
Over the past month, we had productive meetings with MPs, Senators, senior political staff and civil servants from the Department of Finance. This included a trip to Ottawa led by EOC board members Tiara Letourneau, Chad Friesen, and Mike Fotheringham.

In addition to these meetings, we have submitted formal recommendations ahead of the Spring Economic Statement and are continuing to advocate for the permanence of the EOT tax incentive as a practical, low-cost policy that supports Canadian ownership, productivity, and long-term economic resilience.

Our submission outlines a clear and urgent reality: without near-term policy certainty, new EOT activity risks slowing significantly, despite growing interest from business owners across the country. It also provides a practical path forward to stabilize the market and unlock broader adoption of employee ownership in Canada.

View our submission

Building the Evidence Base – EO Research
We are actively working to better understand the landscape of employee ownership in Canada.

Service providers in our network have begun contributing insights on companies that have transitioned or are exploring employee ownership. This work is critical. It will help us build a clearer national picture, strengthen advocacy efforts, and ensure we are developing the right tools and supports for businesses.

If you have received an email from us, or if you work with employee-owned companies, we encourage you to participate.

Complete the service provider form
Or email: info@employee-ownership.ca 

Ownership Nation Podcast Launch
We launched the first episode of our new podcast, featuring Aaron Schroeder of Brightspot Climate.
Watch the episode

Next episode will launch on April 15 featuring Mike Fotheringham (Taproot Community Support Services).

A National Media Moment for Employee Ownership

Our recent efforts urging the government to make the Employee Ownership Trust capital gains tax exemption permanent did not just reach policymakers. We reached Canadians across the country.

Through a coordinated media push, we successfully elevated employee ownership into mainstream national conversations. The tone was clear, urgent, and forward-looking. These stories positioned Employee Ownership Trusts as a practical, common-sense solution for Canada’s economic future, leaving many readers with a simple conclusion: this works, and it matters now.

The results were significant:

• • A Canadian Press story syndicated across 25 publications, spanning print, digital, and radio
  • CBC coverage and video features shared nationally, with additional reach through Yahoo News and Yahoo UK
  • Increased engagement from journalists, many of whom were introduced to EOTs for the first time
  • Growing inbound interest from business owners exploring employee ownership as a viable succession path

This was more than media coverage. It was a big boost in awareness.

We are incredibly grateful to the advisors, business owners, and employee-owners who stepped forward to share their stories and insights. Your voices brought credibility, urgency, and real-world perspective to this moment.

These stories below highlight the real-world impact of employee ownership and the leaders driving this movement forward.

• • The Globe & Mail:  Advocates call on Ottawa to extend tax incentive for employee ownership trusts
  • CBC:  Why some Canadian companies are turning their workers into owners instead of selling to the U.S.
  • CBC:  Pros and Cons of employee ownership trusts in Canada
  • CBC:  How an employee ownership trust actually works in Canada
  • CTV News:  Advocates urge Ottawa to extend ‘no-brainer’ tax incentive for employee ownership
  • Betakit.com: Business leaders urge Ottawa to extend employee ownership tax incentive
  • Canadian Business: How Employee Ownership Trusts Keep Wealth in Canada
  • FutureEconomy.ca: Why Canada Should Back Employee Ownership Trusts for the Long Term
  • Filmogaz: Canadian Firms Empower Employees by Embracing Ownership Over U.S. Sellouts

If you are an employee-owned company, exploring a transition, or willing to share your story, we would love to hear from you.

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