TORONTO — Report on Business magazine has released its 2008 list of the 50 Best Employers in Canada, which includes a leading for-hire carrier.

Robert Transport, of Boucherville, Que. ranked at number 28 on the list, which rates “progressive companies that excel in sustained employee engagement while meeting corporate objectives.”

Ranging in size from a few hundred to thousands of employees, the winners come from across the country and represent a multitude of industries, including construction and engineering, transportation insurance and financial services, pharmaceuticals, hotels, restaurants, retailers, and oil and gas.

Groupe Robert, which also made the list in 2005 at the 22 spot, was noted for its exceptional truck safety and driver training programs.

International construction firm EllisDon Corp. in London, Ont. was named the top employer after ranking second best last year.

Another notable company named to the Top 50 was Ultramar. The Montreal based fuel supplier finished 33 on this year’s list.

The Best Employers in Canada study, where employees determine the ranking, is conducted by Report on Business magazine and Hewitt Associates, a global human resources services company. This year, more than 100,000 employees, 1,400 leaders and 115 HR professionals completed the confidential surveys designed to measure employee engagement and how closely leaders and employees work together toward a common vision, as well as the collective energy that goes into making an organization a great place to work.

“The top organizations have clearly demonstrated that they understand how to attract and retain the employees they need in order to meet their business objectives,” explains Neil Crawford, leader of the Best Employers study at Hewitt Associates. “They have developed people strategies that are designed to facilitate, promote and achieve corporate success from the inside out.”