Galen G. Weston, executive chairman, Loblaw Companies Limited speaks to the press at the Design Exchange in Toronto, Ontario, during a news conference. The Weston family ranked second in Canadian Business’ annual ranking of wealthiest Canadians.Philip Cheung/The Globe and Mail
The Thomson and Weston families have seen double-digit growth in their net worth since last year, according to an annual ranking of Canada's wealthiest people.
Canadian Business magazine estimates the Thomson family's net worth has grown to $26.1-billion, up 30 per cent from $20.1-billion last year.
The Thomson family has long topped annual lists of Canada's most wealthy people.
Among its major holdings is Thomson Reuters (TSX:TRI), a public company that delivers professional information to several industries, and the private Woodbridge Co., majority owner of the Globe and Mail.
No. 2 on the list with a net worth of $10.4-billion is Galen Weston, whose son Galen Jr., heads the Loblaw grocery business. The Weston fortune is up 24 per cent from last year's estimate of $8.2-billion.
The Irving family, which owns Atlantic Canada's largest chain of gasoline stations, a major oil refinery, shipbuilding yard and other businesses, continues at No. 3 with an estimated worth of $7.85-billion, down three per cent from $8.07-billion.
The Rogers family, which controls the cable, wireless and media company that owns Canadian Business magazine and the Toronto Blue Jays, retained No. 4 spot at $7.6-billion, up 18 per cent.
Vancouver-based businessman James Pattison, who heads the private Jim Pattison Group, had a net worth of $7.39-billion, up 10 per cent to continue in the No. 5 spot.
This year's Top 10 list includes the Saputos, who head one of Canada's largest cheese and dairy businesses, the estate of Paul Desmarais Sr., the head of Power Corporation who died recently, eBay founder Jeff Skoll, the Winnipeg-based Richardson family and Carlo Fidani, a Toronto-based businessman who heads the Orlando Corp.