If I had 10 billion dollars: Here are Canada's wealthiest people

Toronto's Thomson family remains the wealthiest in Canada despite a tough year that saw their fortune significantly decline, according to a new list of this country's 100 richest people.

Despite a dip of 8.7 per cent from the previous year, the family behind Thomson Reuters and Woodbridge Co. Ltd. has a net worth of $21.34 billion, according to Canadian Business magazine.

It is the 13th year in a row the Thomson family has been dubbed this country's richest by the magazine, which released its newest ranking Thursday.

In second place was Galen Weston, the businessman behind George Weston Ltd., grocery giant Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and clothing company Holt Renfrew.

Weston's fortune was still a whopping $8 billion, even after losing an estimated 5.8 per cent from 2010.

The highest climber on the Rich 100 is Chip Wilson, who jumped from No. 49 last year to No. 15 this year, thanks to investor interest in his Vancouver-based fitness clothing company, Lululemon. His worth rose this year by 128 per cent to $2.85 billion. In 2009, Wilson ranked in at No. 78.

Kapuskasing, Ont.'s Hollywood darling, producer James Cameron, debuted this year at No. 94, with $650 million.

Nova Scotia's Jodrey family — which has a hand in several industries, including nursing homes, real estate, transportation, pulp and paper mills and frozen foods — squeaked in at No. 100 with a $559-million bankroll.

Top 20 wealthiest Canadians (with percentage change from 2010)

1. Thomson family (Toronto) — $21.34 billion (-8.7)

2. Galen Weston (Toronto) — $8 billion (-5.8)

3. Irving Family (Saint John, N.B.) — $7.8 billion (+4.5)

4. Rogers family (Toronto) — $5.94 billion (-1.3)

5. James Pattison (Vancouver) — $5.73 billion (+3.7)

6. Saputo family (Montreal) — $4.34 billion (+23.5)

7. Paul Desmarais Sr. (Montreal) — $4.27 billion (-0.2)

8. Jeff Skoll (Palo Alto, California) — $3.75 billion (+5.3)

9. Fred and Ron Mannix (Calgary) — $3.44 billion (+8.3)

10. Bernard Sherman (Toronto) — $3.31 billion (-16)

11. Clay Riddell (Calgary) — $3.19 billion (+67.4)

12. Carlo Fidani (Toronto) — $3.18 billion (+10.2)

13. David Azrieli (Montreal) — $3.07 billion (+4.7)

14. Richardson family (Winnipeg) — $3.01 billion (+5.1)

15. Chip Wilson (Vancouver) —$2.85 billion (+128)

16. Harrison McCain family (Florenceville, N.B.) — $2.82 billion (+8.6)

17. Robert Friedland (Singapore) — $2.81 billion (+7.3)

18. Daryl Katz (Edmonton) — $2.8 billion (+8)

19. Frank Stronach (Austria) — $2.7 billion (+38.3)

20. Alan, Clayton and Barry Zekelman (Windsor, Ont.) — $2.62 billion (+1.4)

Source: Canadian Business magazine

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Canada adds 61,000 jobs in September

The Canadian economy added a surprising 61,000 jobs in September, all of it in full-time employment, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

The job growth helped push the country's unemployment rate down to 7.1 per cent, the lowest since December 2008.

Economists had been expecting 15,000 jobs to be added, and for the unemployment rate to remain steady at 7.3 per cent.

The country added 63,800 full-time jobs, but part-time employment slipped by 2,900.

But beyond the eye-popping headline number, the employment details "were much softer and more mixed in the report than the headline suggests on multiple counts," Scotiabank economist Derek Holt noted.

Many of the jobs came from public sector job growth, while the private sector lost almost 15,000 jobs. Self-employment rose by 38,900, "and we always treat this category with skepticism," Holt said. "Many self-employed jobs are vital contributions to a small-business based economy, but the volatility in this component and its tendency to report a pickup in self-reporting during soft spots in the economy make us doubtful that such a heavy role in lifting the headline is with substance."

And despite the job growth, the actual number of hours worked declined by 0.3 per cent. That's a troubling sign for GDP, since it's calculated based on the number of hours worked times the productivity of the labour force, Holt noted.

Statistics Canada said job increases were notable in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

The federal agency said job gains were spread across a number of industries, with educational services adding 38,000 positions with the start of the new school year.

The professional, scientific and technical services sector gained 36,000 jobs. Gains were also seen in accommodation and food services, natural resources, and public administration.

Employment fell by 35,000 in the finance, insurance, real estate and leasing sector, while manufacturing employment slipped by 24,000 for the month.