Photo: University of Manitoba

David Thomson

CEOWORLD Magazine has identified the richest people in Canada for its annual Canada Rich List Index, and the list includes 41 billionaires.

According to the financial publication’s annual listing, 2019 saw the total wealth of the top 10 richest Canadians hit a new record high of $96.4 billion.

David Thomson, chairman of Thomson Reuters, claimed the top spot with an estimated net worth of a staggering $39 billion. The British-Canadian magnate became the wealthiest man in the country after the death of his father in 2006, when he became chairman of Thomson Corporation. 

Joseph Tsai is the second wealthiest person in Canada, with an estimated net worth of $10.2 billion. As vice-chairman of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group, Tsai is also a dual-citizen of the People’s Republic of China. In addition, he owns nearly half of the Brooklyn Nets National Basketball Association team.

Galen Weston is the third richest person in the country, with a net worth of $9 billion. Weston is a British-Canadian businessman and also the chairman emeritus of George Weston – a Canadian food processing and distribution company, which controls Loblaws and Shoppers Drug Mart.

David Cheriton and James Irving rounded up the top five wealthiest people in Canada with $6.4 billion and $6.3 billion, respectively.

Jim Pattison is the sixth wealthiest person in Canada with an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion.

All estimated net worth figures are in U.S. dollars.

Richest People in Canada

• David Thomson: $39 billion
• Joseph Tsai: $10.2 billion
• Galen Weston: $9 billion
• David Cheriton: $6.4 billion
• James Irving: $6.3 billion
• Jim Pattison: $5.7 billion
• Huang Chulong: $5.6 billion
• Emanuele (Lino) Saputo: $5.1 billion
• Chip Wilson: $4.6 billion
• Mark Scheinberg: $4.5 billion
• Alain Bouchard: $4.1 billion
• Peter Gilgan: $4 billion
• Arthur Irving: $3.5 billion
• Daryl Katz: $3.1 billion
• Bob Gaglardi: $3 billion
• Tobi Lutke: $2.9 billion
• Garrett Camp: $2.7 billion
• Robert Miller: $2.7 billion
• Mitchell Goldhar: $2.7 billion
• Lawrence Stroll: $2.6 billion
• Jean Coutu: $2.5 billion
• Michael Lee-Chin: $2.4 billion
• Carlo Fidani: $2.3 billion
• Serge Godin: $2.3 billion
• Charles Bronfman: $2.3 billion
• Jacques D’Amours: $2.1 billion
• Pierre Karl Péladeau: $1.8 billion
• Stephen Smith: $1.8 B $2 billion
• Marcel Adams: $1.7 billion
• Stephen Jarislowsky: $1.6 billion
• Hal Jackman: $1.6 billion
• Gerald Schwartz: $1.6 billion
• Mark Leonard: $1.5 billion
• N. Murray Edwards: $1.4 billion
• Bruce Flatt: $1.4 billion
• Brandt Louie: $1.4 billion
• Peter Szulczewski: $1.4 billion
• K. Rai Sahi: $1.3 billion
• Jack Cockwell: $1.3 billion
• Terence (Terry) Matthews: $1.2 billion
• Guy Laliberté: $1 billion