CALGARY — Two of Canada’s most recognizable names in travel have once again been named by Forbes as among Canada’s Best Employers.

Air Transat moved up an impressive 43 positions to rank eighth on the annual list. In Quebec, meanwhile, the company jumped 10 spots into third.

“It’s a huge honour to be in the select club of Canada’s top 10 employers, and to reach the top three in Quebec,” said Christophe Hennebelle, Vice-President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs, Transat. “We offer a stimulating, diversified work environment where teamwork, recognition and personnel development are highly valued.

“Thanks to these assets, which are aligned with the company’s engagement values, we have built a robust employer brand that our people take pride in, and that has brought us to this level. Every day, our 5,000 employees embody the joy of vacations and contribute to the company’s success. We thank them for their dedication and commitment to our customers.”

Also making the list for the fifth time in as many years is WestJet. Mark Porter, WestJet Executive Vice-President, People and Culture, praised the airline’s corporate culture upon hearing the news.

“WestJet is a place where people build careers, lifelong friendships and amazing experiences,” said Mark Porter, WestJet Executive Vice-President, People and Culture. “Ranking among Canada’s best employers is a testament of our continued commitment to making WestJet a great place to work. I thank all 14,000 WestJetters for their many contributions to our great culture and growing network.”

The list of employers was chosen based on an independent survey conducted by Statista of more than 8,000 Canadians working for companies with more than 500 employees. Employees were asked how likely they’d recommend their employer to others and to recommend other employers, both of which factored into the rankings.