Recognized as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2023) and National Capital Region's Top Employers (2023):
Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Nov 17, 2022)
Here are some of the reasons why Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2023) and National Capital Region's Top Employers (2023):
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada encourages lifelong learning with tuition subsidies for courses taken at outside institutions and micro assignments, allowing employees to develop skills and experience outside of their department -- additionally, the organization helps cultivate the next generation of talent through paid internships, summer student roles and co-op opportunities
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada created an ombudsman for mental health and employee well-being to provide impartial, voluntary, independent and confidential professional services, and offers up to $2,000 for psychological services to eligible employees as part of its benefits plan
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada provides long-term peace of mind with contributions to a defined benefit pension plan and retirement planning assistance

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada staff members engaged in a 'design jam' in 2019, an interactive event to obtain feedback from employees
Employer Background
Industry | Federal government, industry and economic development programs |
Established in Canada | 1892 |
Publicly traded | yes |
Parent company | Government of Canada |
Parent company head office | Ottawa ON |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Dartmouth NS, Edmonton AB, Québec QC, Montréal QC, Toronto ON, Sudbury ON, London ON, Hamilton ON, Ottawa ON, Gatineau QC |
Full-time employees in Canada | 6,160 |
Part-time employees in Canada | 365 |
Average age of employees in Canada | 42.3 years |
Longest serving employee | 27.04 years |
Work Environment Rating: B+
Flexible work options | flexible work hours, 35-hour work week (with full pay), shortened work week (fewer hours with less pay), compressed work week, telecommuting |
Commuter amenities | walk to public transit, free parking, secure/sheltered bicycle parking |
Onsite workplace features | head office is located in the C.D. Howe Building, an 11-storey office tower featuring an interior collaboration space with greenery and a large waterfall, 30% of the building's rooftop is landscaped and grows indigenous flowers, grasses and shrubs (another 30% utilizes green roof technology), a dedicated "digital office" helps deliver on the organization's workplace modernization commitments, telecommuter workstations, sit-stand workstations, religious observance room, outdoor patio, the head office also features the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace (a forum for federal public service employees to share best practices, tools and resources) |
Employee lounge amenities | comfortable seating, television, video games, foosball table |
Other food options at main location | food court with a variety of options including Subway, Manhattan's Handmade Burgers, Jimmy the Greek, and Marcello's Market and Deli, to name a few |
Work Atmosphere & Communications Rating: B
Cultural aspects | business-casual dress daily, dress-for-your-day policy, casual dress (e.g. jeans) daily, casual dress Fridays, music while working, employee sports teams, organized social activities for retirees |
Employee communications | intranet site, company newsletter, traditional/email suggestion box, internal social media |
Other in-house communications | virtual all-staff town halls, internal video series called "This Deputy has 2.2 Minutes," virtual event series with deputy ministers (employees can interact directly with ministers), Random Coffee initiative (employees can expand their networks across the department with virtual coffee or tea) |
Financial Benefits & Compensation Rating: A
Outside salary surveys | participates in outside salary surveys every 12 months |
Employee salary reviews | individual salaries are reviewed every 12 months |
Long-term savings | defined-benefit (DB) pension |
Long-term planning | retirement planning assistance, phased-in retirement work options |
Health & Family-Friendly Benefits Rating: A+
Health plan note | Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has multiple employee groups, health plans may vary by position |
Family coverage option | yes |
Dental coverage | routine, restorative, orthodontics |
Eyecare | $275 every 2 years |
Paid sick days | employees receive 15 days off each year |
Health plan includes | traditional coverage (e.g. prescription drugs), employee assistance (EAP) plan, semi-private hospital room, physiotherapy, medical travel insurance, medical equipment and supplies, massage therapy, podiatrist, chiropractor, alternative coverage (e.g. acupuncture, naturopathy) |
Mental health practitioner benefit | up to $2,000 each year |
Additional health and wellness initiatives | mental health strategy, extensive resources including a mental health wiki, in-house training, mental health network of over 100 champions and ambassadors, an ombudsman for mental health and employee well-being to provide impartial, voluntary, independent and confidential professional services |
Maternity top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 18 weeks |
Parental top-up (mothers) | up to 93% of salary for 34 weeks |
Parental top-up (fathers) | up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks |
Adoption top-up | up to 93% of salary for 37 weeks |
Additional family-friendly benefits | extended parental leave to unpaid leave |
Additional family-friendly information | compassionate leave top-up payments may also be available for employees caring for a family member |
Vacation & Personal Time-Off Rating: B
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Vacation jump | vacation increases after 8 years of employment |
Maximum vacation allowance | employees move to a maximum of 6 weeks of vacation over their career |
Previous experience | considers previous work experience when setting annual vacation for new employees |
Personal paid days off | employees can schedule 2 personal days off each year, as needed |
Unpaid leave maximum | 60 months |
Self-funded/deferred salary leave maximum | 12 months |
Employee Engagement & Performance Rating: B
Employee performance reviews | employees receive individual performance reviews every 6 months |
Managers receive performance review training | yes |
Confidential employee feedback | employees can also provide confidential feedback on their manager's performance |
Exit interview | exit interview option is available for departing employees |
Performance recognition | online recognition platform, individual performance bonuses, on-the-spot rewards, peer-to-peer recognition awards, long-service awards, tailored and unique rewards (e.g. travel), Deputy Ministers' Award of Merit (categories include policy, innovation, mental health and workplace well-being, and leadership in official languages, to name a few), merit awards to recognize employee contributions at various levels of the organization (sector level, branch level), Public Service Award of Excellence (presented across the public service at Rideau Hall) |
In-house survey period | in-house surveys are conducted every 12 months |
Outside survey period | outside consultant surveys are held every 12 months |
Training & Skills Development Rating: A
Career planning | in-house career planning services, online employee skills inventory |
In-house training initiatives | apprenticeship/skilled trades programs, mentoring, in-house training, online training, subsidies for professional accreditation, mentoring to transfer retirees' skills |
Related tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 100% of tuition per year |
Unrelated tuition subsidies | employer covers up to 100% of tuition per year for courses unrelated to current position |
Education leave | educational leaves of absence are available |
Unique training & development programs | extensive leadership development opportunities, micro assignments to allow employees to develop skills and experience outside of their department |
Community Involvement Rating: A
Scope of charitable involvement | national |
Employee charitable involvement | employees are involved in selection of charities, employees receive paid time off to volunteer, (up to 1 paid day) |
Total number of charities supported last year | approximately 533 charitable and community organizations were supported last year |
Community highlight | Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada participates in the Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign. |
Recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2023):
By Kristina Leung and Stephanie Leung, Mediacorp Canada Inc. staff editors (Mar 6, 2023)
Here are some of the reasons why Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada was selected as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2023):
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada contributed to a government-wide accessibility strategy and undertook the following actions: naming a Champion of Accessibility, creating a network of employees with disabilities, conducting a preliminary gap analysis to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility, creating and deploying in-house accessibility training, as well as creating a learning forum for managers
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada includes diversity and inclusion objectives as part of management's formal performance management agreements, such as requiring executives to identify recruitment and development activities to increase the social and cultural diversity of the workforce
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada participates in the Aboriginal Leadership Development Initiative, an 18-month program that develops Aboriginal employees at the EX-1 level with the aim of supporting them to become an executive within the federal government through training, mentorship, community building and secondment opportunities

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada employee at an event during National Public Service Week in 2019
As an employee with disabilities, I have really appreciated the work being done by ISED’s Accessibility Secretariat. This small but mighty team is driving culture change around accessibility and disability inclusion at ISED, and has launched amazing initiatives. I appreciate the effort the Accessibility Secretariat has put into designing these initiatives in partnership with employees with disabilities and the emphasis they place on ensuring our perspectives and expertise are heard and valued. By honouring the principle of “nothing about us, without us” in everything they do, the Secretariat is a true leader in accessibility, and they are building a better ISED for employees with disabilities. Mercedes Mueller, chair of Persons with Disabilities Network
Highlights
Industry | Federal government, industry and economic development programs |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Dartmouth NS, Edmonton AB, Québec QC, Montréal QC, Toronto ON, Sudbury ON, London ON, Hamilton ON, Ottawa ON, Gatineau QC |
Full-time employees in Canada | 6,160 |
Management of diversity and inclusion initiatives | manages a departmental inclusion committee as well as an employment equity, diversity and inclusion program plan (with sector-specific plans), employs dedicated champions to advance key initiatives in the following areas: diversity and inclusion, accessibility, LGBTQ2+ network, visible minorities, women, Indigenous employees, GBA+, mental health, and official languages |
Performance management and accountability | organizes self-identification campaigns a minimum of once per year and tracks various aspects of diversity through its workforce analysis, statistics are compiled into a departmental dashboard and shared with management on a biannual basis, diversity and inclusion objectives are included in managers' performance management assessments |
Employee resource groups | VizMin Employee Network, Persons with Disabilities Network, Indigenous Employee Network, LGBTQ2+ Employee Network, Black Employees Network |
Noteworthy diversity strategies and policies | contributed to the development of the federal accessibility strategy (actions include naming a champion for accessibility, creating a network of employees with disabilities, and conducting a preliminary gap analysis to identify, remove and prevent barriers to accessibility), maintains an ombudsman for mental health and employee well-being |
Recruitment initiatives | recruits persons with intellectual disabilities in partnership with LiveWorkPlay, participates in the Employment Opportunity for Students with Disabilities initiative, the Federal Internship for Canadians with Disabilities program, the Federal Internship for Newcomers program, and the Indigenous Student Employment Opportunity program, participates in the #AbleTo recruitment campaign for students with disabilities (part of the David C. Onley Initiative) |
Retention and development programs | participates in the Aboriginal Leadership Development Initiative to help train participants to become executives through an 18-month learning and development program (led by Indigenous Services Canada) |
Training and awareness initiatives | mandatory training on GBA+, mental health training for employees, managers and executives, orientation for new employees includes resources on diversity, inclusion and mental health, in-house training on creating accessible documents and presentations, LGBTQ2+ inclusion training hosted by the organization's LGBTQ2+ Network (and in collaboration with Wisdom2Action), Positive Space initiative and ambassadors (to create a safer, respectful and open-minded environment for 2SLGBTQ+ communities), "Did you know?" series in its internal newsletter to increase awareness of religious diversity |
Diversity highlights | mental health network and over 100 mental health champions and ambassadors, is investing in Canada’s first-ever Women Entrepreneurship Strategy to provide direct investments for women-owned or women-led businesses |
The Career Directory
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has been selected for The Career Directory, our guide to entry-level recruitment for recent college and university graduates.

Employees check out the Digital Lounge at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, which supports the organization's vision of being an innovative, digital-by-default workplace
Highlights for New Grads
Industry | Federal government, industry and economic development programs |
Full-time employees in Canada | 5,001 to 10,000 |
Parent company | Government of Canada |
Parent company head office | Ottawa ON |
Major Canadian hiring locations | Dartmouth NS, Edmonton AB, Québec QC, Montréal QC, Toronto ON, Sudbury ON, London ON, Hamilton ON, Ottawa ON, Gatineau QC |
Student opportunities | paid internships, summer jobs, co-op opportunities |
Training | subsidies for professional accreditation, orientation program, online training, in-house training, mentoring, in-house career planning services |
Tuition subsidies (related to job) | yes |
Typical new grad positions | Economist, Commerce Officer, Communication Advisor, Policy Analyst, Patent Examiner, Computer Specialist, Metrologist, Competition Law Officer, Financial Officer, Human Resources Advisor |
Starting salary | $55K to $60K |
Work benefits | health benefits for new employees, flexible work hours, telecommuting, employees receive paid time off to volunteer, (up to 1 paid day) |
Vacation allowance | new employees receive 3 weeks of paid vacation after their first year on the job |
Academic fields recruited
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Bachelor of Arts
- Economics
- Human Resources
- Public Relations / Communications
-
Bachelor of Commerce / Business Administration
- Accounting
- Finance
- Human Resources
- Information Systems
- Marketing
- Public Administration
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Bachelor of Engineering
- Aerospace
- Chemical
- Electrical
- Mechanical
-
Bachelor of Laws
- Copyright / Patent
- Corporate
-
Bachelor of Science
- Actuarial / Statistics
- Computer Science
- Environmental
- Information Studies / Library Science
- Mathematics
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Master of Arts
-
Master of Business Administration
-
Master of Engineering
-
Master of Science
-
Professional Accreditation
- Accounting (CMA)