The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) has been named as one of Forbes’ Canada’s Best Employers 2026, an honour which the board also received in 2025. This prestigious award is presented in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The award highlights the Board’s commitment to fostering a positive work environment that nurtures talent, celebrates diversity, encourages innovation, and works to build a culture of community and faith.

Forbes and Statista conduct independent surveys to identify the best employers in various countries. The selection process for Canada’s Best Employers involves surveying over 40,000 Canada-based employees working for companies with at least 500 employees. The comprehensive survey includes personal evaluations from employees, as well as public evaluations from friends, family members, and industry peers. The final score is heavily weighted towards personal evaluations, ensuring that the list reflects genuine employee satisfaction and workplace excellence.

“Being named one of Canada’s top employers by Forbes is a tremendous honour for our organization,” said Chris Cummings, Board Chair of CDSBEO. “At the heart of this achievement is our strong sense of community and our faith-based mission, which guide the culture we strive to build each day. This recognition speaks to the commitment of our incredible staff, whose dedication and compassion make the workplace truly exceptional. It also reflects the steadfast leadership across CDSBEO that continually encourages us to grow, support one another, and pursue excellence.”

Shelley Montgomery, Director of Education, shared, “Being named one of Forbes’ best employers for the second year in a row shows that we’re listening to our staff. We do our best to recognize and appreciate our team, and we’re always looking for creative ways to make CDSBEO a great place to work. This year, we introduced a well-being challenge for everyone across the board, and it was a big success. The Forbes recognition tells us we’re heading in the right direction – building a workplace where staff feel encouraged, valued, and heard.”

The rigorous methodology used by Forbes ensures that the recognition is well-deserved. Data from a three-year period is considered, providing a robust differentiation between organizations that consistently perform well and those that may have had a good year. The final ranking is published by Forbes and showcases the top 300 employers in Canada.

CDSBEO is committed to supporting staff wellness through meaningful initiatives that foster connection, joy, and a sense of community.