Port Saint John Named 2026 Employer of the Year (SME)

Port Saint John has been announced as CITT's 2026 Employer of the Year (small-medium enterprise category)

CITT is proud to announce Port Saint John as the recipient of the 2026 Employer of the Year Award (SME), presented at Canada’s Logistics Conference 2026 in Calgary.

This prestigious award recognizes a small-to-medium enterprise in the Canadian logistics sector that demonstrates exceptional leadership in workplace culture, human capital investment, and employee retention. Port Saint John was selected for its structured approach to professional development and its proven commitment to operationalizing a "family-first" corporate philosophy during a period of rapid organizational growth.

Driving Culture Through Continuous Investment

As Port Saint John expanded its workforce from 30 to over 55 full-time employees, leadership proactively designed a multi-tiered training framework to eliminate departmental silos and ensure seamless collaboration. The organization’s comprehensive human resources strategy is anchored by:

• Universal Communication Training: Incorporating Dale Carnegie programs to optimize cross-functional coordination.
• Behavioral Intelligence: Utilizing Insights Discovery personality profiling to streamline onboarding and map team communication dynamics.
• Leadership Pipeline Development: Enrolling key personnel in Leadership Management International cohorts to maintain strong interpersonal management as operations scale.
• Employee-Driven Up-Skilling: Providing dedicated annual budgets for targeted professional credentials, including specialized negotiation courses and the industry-standard CITT Certified Logistics Professional (CCLP) designation.
  
  

A Proven "Promote-from-Within" Blueprint

The port’s dedication to non-linear career progression is exemplified by Peter Shaw, CCLP, CCLMP, Container Development Manager. Shaw initially joined Port Saint John in 2018 as a wellness officer within the Human Resources department.

Recognizing his potential and operational interest, Port Saint John actively backed his transition into commercial operations. The port funded his completion of Transport Canada marine security programming, computer-based logistics systems training, and professional supply chain certifications, allowing him to successfully transition into his current international business development role.

"It’s a testament to the ‘promote from within’ mentality that defines this place," said Shaw. "They find out what you are interested in, evaluate if you can handle it, and say: 'Tell us what you need, and we will support you.'"

Operational Excellence and Social Responsibility

Port Saint John’s award-winning submission highlighted key organizational benchmarks that underscore its industry leadership:

Operationalizing Family Values

Port Saint John distinguishes itself by explicitly integrating personal well-being into its corporate KPIs. During annual January goal-setting sessions, external consultants require employees to map out family and personal development goals alongside their commercial objectives.

This psychological safety was validated when the port seamlessly navigated a major demographic shift, supporting 13 concurrent parental leaves within a single year without operational disruption.

"The ability to be there for my family when I need to is worth way more than a dollar value at this stage of life," Shaw added. "I’m incredibly thankful for the core morals of Port Saint John."

We extend our sincere congratulations to the leadership team and entire workforce at Port Saint John for setting a benchmark for workplace culture in the industry.