Rising Up Against Wealth Inequality
In line with global trends, wealth inequality in Canada is growing. The rise in wealth inequality in Canada is colliding with and amplified by a sputtering Canadian economy, a cost-of-living crisis, rising poverty, and record foodbank usage. While many Canadians struggle to meet even their most basic needs, a small subset of the Canadian population – Canada's 40 richest billionaires – grew their wealth by nearly $95B the last year.
The Billionaires You Don't Hear About Much, But Should
The wealth of Canada's billionaires is significant, but unlike in the United States and other countries, Canada's billionaires are less well known. Given the magnitude of their wealth, the power that comes with it, we think it important to highlight Canada's billionaires, the sectors and companies they are involved with, and some of the potential influences their activities have on Canada and the world.
Meet Canada's Billionaires
The Thomson Family
Total Net Worth: $90.2B | Change from 2024: -$7.95B (-8.1%)
Business Interests:
Media, Information
The Thomson family is the wealthiest family in Canada and owns a 70 percent stake in Thomson Reuters through their holding company Woodbridge Co. It is one of the 10 biggest media and press companies in the world. The Thomson family owns the Globe and Mail, Canada's largest newspaper.
Galen Weston Jr.
Total Net Worth: $20.6B | Change from 2024: +$2.55B (+14%)
Business Interests:
Grocery, Real Estate, Pharmacy
Loblaw's share price increased almost 30 percent in the last year and has more than tripled since the pandemic. Food prices increased almost 5 percent overall in 2025 and are up 27 percent in the last five years. Every month in Canada, foodbanks are recording more than 2 million visits. Foodbank visits have increased almost 100 percent nationwide since 2019. Overall, 25 percent of Canadians are food insecure.
The Irving Family
Total Net Worth: $15.8B | Change from 2024: +$1.33B (+9.1%)
Business Interests:
Oil, Forestry, Agriculture
Irving Oil operates an oil refinery in Saint John New Brunswick. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, the Irving Oil Refinery's 2023 GHG emissions were more than 3 million tonnes – almost the equivalent output of all the on-road transportation in New Brunswick in 2021.
Jim Pattison
Total Net Worth: $11.9B | Change from 2024: +$1.85B (+15.5%)
Business Interests:
Transportation, Grocery, Forestry
The Pattison Group owns Westshore Terminals which is touted as "North America's busiest coal facility" handling more than 33 million tonnes of coal annually for export. The grocery stores owned by the Pattison Food Group were the lowest scoring of all retailers in the new Seafood Progress Report which scores grocers on their approaches to sustainability and human rights in their seafood supply chains.
The Rogers Family
Total Net Worth: $11.9B | Change from 2024: -$0.57B (-4.5%)
Business Interests:
Telecom, Media
Rogers is one of Canada's biggest telecom companies, earning $1.7 billion in profit in 2024 – more than double the year before. Rogers Communications owns several TV channels and more than 50 radio stations. Canadians continue to pay some of the highest cellphone and internet bills in the world - cellphone prices rose at the end of 2025 and are predicted to keep rising in 2026.
Learn More & Take Action
Canada's Wealth Inequality Report
Learn more about the state of inequality in Canada.
Take Action Against Inequality
Join thousands of Canadians calling for a fairer tax system. Send a letter to Minister Champagne and demand that the ultra-rich pay their fair share.