For the eleventh year in a row, the University of the Fraser Valley (UFV) has been recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers. This award is given to industry-leading employers with outstanding workplaces, as part of the annual Canada’s Top Employer competition. As UFV celebrates its 50th anniversary, this honour sets a promising precedent for the next 50 Years Forward.   

Greg St. Hilaire, the department head of Upgrading and University Preparation, has been working at UFV since 1993. Last year he received UFV’s Indigenization and Reconciliation award for his work delivering specialized adult education courses to Indigenous communities on Seabird Island.  

“It’s a work environment that keeps one’s mind in a constant stage of growth,” he reflects. “I never thought I would want to work at a place for so long and have so little interest in wanting to retire.” 

UFV’s reasons for inclusion in the 2025 list of BC’s Top Employers will come as no surprise to many long-time employees. They include the following: 

• As part of its raison d’être, UFV maintains a professional development fund for activities that help develop job-related skills, expertise in subjects related to the university’s curriculum, and knowledge or skills in the teaching and learning process — the fund covers events such as conferences, tuition, professional memberships, resource materials and related expenses 

• UFV’s flexible health benefits plan provides employees with a $1,000 health spending account that can be used to cover additional medical or dental expenses or transferred to their personal registered savings accounts 

• UFV encourages employees to adopt healthy lifestyles through a number of initiatives, including monthly health awareness campaigns, fitness classes, weight loss programs, and subsidized memberships to its fitness facilities offering drop-in sports, personal training and a range of fitness classes 

Employees benefit from an on-campus fitness centre and gym in Abbotsford and Chilliwack, with a host of other resources to take care of their mental and physical well-being. UFV’s Health Initiative steering committee has developed an integrated program to promote a healthy work environment. 

The BC’s Top Employers competition is organized by Mediacorp Canada, which runs Canada’s Top 100 Employers project and the Eluta.ca job search engine. Mediacorp also hosts the largest annual conference for senior-level HR professionals in the country. Mediacorp was founded in 1992 and is Canada’s largest publisher of quality employment-related periodicals. 

“We are honoured to be recognized as one of BC’s Top Employers for the 11th straight year,” says Jackie Hogan, UFV’s VP Administration. “This achievement reflects our commitment to fostering a workplace where inclusivity, excellence, integrity, and community truly thrive.  

“Thank you to all who contribute to making this achievement possible, and I look forward to continuing our journey of success together.”  

Associate Vice President of Human Resources, Kevin Jeske says, “Being a great employer is much more than a collection of benefits and programs. It arises out of true collaboration among multiple stakeholders in the workplace. UFV HR is excited to see that joint investment of time and resources being recognized over such a long span of time.”

For Greg, an inclusive, friendly and student-centred approach is one of the unique features that sets UFV apart.  

“From what I’ve observed, students like being here and want to be here. I think they feel our programs are helping them with their future and their ongoing careers.” 

Greg says the best part of his work is the positive effect that education can have in people’s lives. Like many quality educators at UFV, he finds it important to collaborate with his colleagues, keep curriculum relevant, and continuously improve his teaching. To that end, UFV’s Teaching and Learning Centre provides top-notch resources for the professional development of faculty and staff.  

“It’s a good work environment,” says Greg. “There’s a lot of positive change. The students are very engaged. It keeps life interesting, and I honestly can’t think of anything I’d rather do.” 

More information about BC’s Top Employers for 2025 can be found here.