For Immediate Release
Rewrite Capital Advisors Acquires ESOP Builders, Becoming Canada’s Most Comprehensive Employee Ownership Advisory Practice VANCOUVER, BC — APRIL 22, 2026 — Rewrite Capital Advisors today announced the asset acquisition of ESOP Builders Inc. The transaction marks a pivotal expansion for Rewrite Capital Advisors, from a firm exclusively focused on Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) to one that now advises on the full spectrum of employee ownership structures available to Canadian business owners. Combined with ESOP Builders’ 30 years of Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) design and implementation expertise, Rewrite Capital Advisors becomes Canada’s most comprehensive employee ownership advisory practice. “Until now, Rewrite Capital Advisors’ work has been focused on EOTs, and…
- Canadian employee ownership, Capitalism and Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, EOTs, ESOPs in Canada, income equality, Wealth gap
Capitalism at the Crossroads
There are two types of Capitalism – Corporate Capitalism and Peoples’ Capitalism. The Oxford Dictionary defines Capitalism as an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit. The key word in this definition is private and for profit. Corporate Capitalism focuses entirely on profits while Peoples’ Capitalism puts equal weights to the word private ownership by people and profits. This is a major difference between the two types. Corporate Capitalism has led to huge wealth gaps between the top 1% of the populations and the remaining 99%. In Canada, the top 1% of families hold nearly a quarter of the nation’s…
- Canadian employee ownership, Communication, Culture, EOTs, ESOP Benefits, ESOPs in Canada, Exit Planning, participative culture
5 questions business owners ask about ESOPs and EOTs in Canada
1. Is there a significant difference between ESOP and EOT? And how can the employees afford shares? Since there are multiple ESOP (employee share ownership plan) models available — equity in the form of shares, EOT (Employee Ownership Trust), stock options, and phantom shares — it is important for the owner to first assess their goals and the pros and cons of each model in order to determine the best fit. An EOT, an ownership model that makes use of a trust, differs from employee ownership plans that make the employees direct shareholders. In an EOT: In a share purchase plan: Any employee ownership model requires ongoing education for and…
- Canadian employee ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, ESOPs in Canada, Exit Planning, Founding Owners, Succession planning
Business Succession in Canada
The famous Baby Boomer Baby Boomers are well into late middle age and many are elderly. Many of them are business owners and are now looking at how they will exit that business. There are many ways that they, and any business owner at any time, can plan their succession: The course an owner takes is a function of how well he or she has planned their succession, the current financial state of the company, their personal estate, their personal philosophy on life, the quality of life, and the relationship of the meaning of work within that philosophy. The biggest risk facing an owner is waiting too late to plan.…
Grantbook’s Historic Transition to an Employee Ownership Trust
A Bold Step for B Corp Excellence On January 1, we at Grantbook rang in the new year by making history, becoming majority-owned by Canada’s very first Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). This bold move not only deepened our commitment to employee ownership—an essential pillar of our B Corp values—but provided the highly sought-after values-aligned exit for co-founder Peter Deitz. Since our founding in 2012, Grantbook has been on a journey to align our company structure with our social purpose and values. In 2013, we became a Certified B Corporation, believing fervently in business as a force for good. Then, in 2020, we launched a broad-based Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP),…
The importance of Legacy in the context of Employee Share Ownership Plans
ESOP Builders, It’s your legacy. Legacy is fundamental to what it is to be human, advises the Legacy Project. Research shows that without a sense of working to create a legacy, adults lose meaning in their life. Exploring the idea of legacy offers a glimpse not only into human relationships and building strong communities, but also the human spirit. “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” Proverbs 13:22 Businesses possessing a legacy, according to Your Business Matters, have a solid foundation and effective products and processes, meaning they can stand alone, apart from the individuals who created them, and can be passed on to others when the…
Canada’s first ever EOT (Employee Ownership Trust)
From share purchase plan to EOT Here at ESOP Builders, we are ecstatic that one of our share purchase plan clients, Grantbook, has become the first ever EOT in Canada under the new legislation. This means that the company is owned by an Employee Ownership Trust, therefore ALL employees are the owners! Each employee participates in ownership as a beneficiary of the trust without having to purchase shares themselves. See below for general EOT structure information. Founded in 2012, Grantbook specializes in helping grantmaking organizations operationalize their mission and vision by leveraging their people, processes, and tech. As a social purpose organization, B Corp and now 100% employee-owned, the team really walks…
Employee Ownership in the 21st century
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7 Ownership through history For most of the history of human beings, employees did not exist; only slaves, servants land-owners and nobility. It wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that the need for massive numbers of employees was created. People were needed to run the machines and factories of the new world of commerce. As we enter the 21st century, 3rd millennium and given the…
- Canadian employee ownership, Communication, Culture, Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, employee-owned company, EOTs, ESOP Benefits, participative culture, Retention, Succession planning, Talent attraction
The Joy of Employee Ownership
More pie, happier employees Employee ownership, based on TRUST, makes employees HAPPY. That is the Joy of Employee Ownership. Many businesses today face intense struggles in developing and retaining really good employees. In fact, this may be one of the most important factors affecting a company’s success and ability to grow and be profitable. Establishing a culture of trust will support the retention of good employees and the attraction of qualified new ones. In a company full of responsive and happy employees, morale is high, innovation thrives, profits soar and success, both personal and corporate, is assured. Do not take my word for it, look at studies over the last…
Now he’s an owner
Then, working as a garbage collector. Now, a part owner of a consulting company. In 2017, WP had just graduated from a University in Canada with a degree in environmental science. After taking a break for a couple months in the summer, to help with his job search he did some preparation that included performing a skill assessment, as well as reviewing his experiences and considering his interests. One of the things this process highlighted for WP was his desire and fit for being a consultant. This kind of work resonated strongly in his heart and he began to seek out this kind of job. “I applied to various companies,…
A Paradigm Shift with Employee Ownership
Strategic planning and employee ownership led to a more relaxed and engaged workplace. SE knows what stress feels like. He’s part owner of an engineering consulting firm that does small projects. It means a steady stream of RFPs (Request for Proposals). “Most of our work is from $10,000 to $15,000 for projects that last six to 10 weeks,” says SE, who is vice president and chief resources officer. “We normally do one proposal a day. By the end of the year, it gets close to 1.7 a day.” Getting everything just right and submitting on time has occasionally led to all-nighters and missed deadlines. But in the last few years,…
4 Ways Owners Benefit from Employee Ownership
ESOP & EOT Joanna is a Certified Human Resources Leader and Certified Value Builder. She holds an honours degree in business management specializing in human resources from Western University. Since graduating, Joanna has been a trusted guide and adviser to business leaders. She has worked in many industries and is currently Vice President of ESOP Builders and a Director of Employee Ownership Canada. ESOP stands for Employee Share Ownership Plans, which can also include EOTs or Employee Ownership Trusts, a new structure under the Income Tax Act of Canada. They help the businesses owner transfer shares to employees. ESOP Builders designs and implements ESOPs or EOTs for SMEs across Canada…
Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is in Canada
Most recent info on Canada’s Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) Canadian business owners thinking about succession plans may be curious about a new option when considering an employee ownership transition; the EOT. Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs) in Canada have been used by business owners as they are shown to facilitate numerous benefits; increased retention, engagement, productivity, and profit. They can also improve the country’s economy by spreading the wealth more fairly, protecting small businesses and local work, and improving resiliency of these businesses. The government has created an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) which comes with tax incentives for business owners who decide the EOT is a fit for their goals.As of January…
- Canadian employee ownership, Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, EOTs, ESOPs in Canada, Taxes
Employee Ownership gets a new model
Most recent info on Canada’s Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) If you read our blogs, of course you are familiar with the typical models of employee share ownership (purchase plans, stock options plans and phantom (or EVOP) plans).You may also already know that there is now a new model; the Employee Ownership Trust (EOT).This structure was heavily researched and advocated for by the Canadian Employee Ownership Coalition (CEOC) and has now been put in place for business owners of Canadian SMEs who want to retire or exit their business but may not have a traditional way to do so (3rd party sale or family transition). You can read more on our other blog.…
- Canadian employee ownership, Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, EOTs, ESOPs in Canada, Founding Owners, Succession planning
What to know about the new EOT in Canada
Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) is in Canada Canadian business owners may be curious about a possible new option when considering an employee ownership transition; the EOT. Employee Share Ownership Plans in Canada have been used by business owners as they are shown to facilitate numerous benefits; increased retention, engagement, productivity, and profit. They can also improve the country’s economy by spreading the wealth more fairly, protecting small businesses and local work, and improving resiliency of these businesses. The government had previously announced the creation of an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) in the 2023 budget and have now confirmed it’s creation in the Fall Economic Statement along with announcing tax incentives for business owners…
- Canadian employee ownership, Culture, Employee Ownership, ESOP Benefits, ESOPs in Canada, participative culture
Recognition and Culture to create Engagement
As a business owner, you know how important it is to attract and retain top talent, so you’ve created an employee share ownership plan; recognition and engagement are important. This can be a great strategy to offer recognition of employees’ efforts in order to increase engagement and retention. Recognition and Engagement I recently read an article in Benefits and Pensions Monitor called “How recognition bolsters engagement and shields employees from burnout”, which indicated a few things that align with ESOPs. A report from Workhuman and Gallup, ‘Empowering Workplace Culture Through Recognition’ shows employees who believe that recognition is an important part of their organization’s culture are 3.7 times as likely…
- Canadian employee ownership, Capitalism and Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, EOTs, ESOPs in Canada
EOT Announcement in Budget and why it probably doesn’t mean much for Employee Ownership
Hello ESOP Community, The government has proposed legislation regarding employee ownership trusts (EOTs) in the 2023 budget. Any talk about ESOPs in Canada is extremely positive and will bring great awareness to Employee Ownership in general. The government has provided some detail compared to what they said in 2021 and 2022 and announced implementation of EOTs by January, 2024. Unfortunately, while this could provide an additional mechanism for how to structure a Plan in certain limited circumstances, the proposed EOT has really missed the mark and the government does not seem to have listened to the recommendations given to create more Employee Ownership. These limited circumstances for its use would…
- Canadian employee ownership, Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, employee-owned company, EOTs, ESOP Benefits, ESOPs in Canada, Founding Owners, income equality, Owners, Retention, Succession planning, Talent attraction
EOTs: Are Employee Ownership Trusts right for Canada?
Originally published Jan 2023. Updated March 31, 2023 and May 3, 2024. Employee Ownership Trusts in Canada Overall, there are a couple of ways to achieve “Employee Ownership” in Canada. EOTs could be an another type of structure to achieve Employee Ownership depending on the goals the owner would like the plan to achieve. Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP) Worker Co-op The main difference between these two is that votes are equal in a co-op whereas in an ESOP votes are dependent on the shareholders’ type of share (voting or non-voting) and how many shares they own. In Canada, we consider an ESOP the umbrella term, but there are different…
- Canadian employee ownership, Communication, employee-owned company, ESOP Benefits, ESOPs in Canada, Founding Owners, participative culture, Succession planning, Taxes
5 questions business owners ask about ESOPs in Canada
What are the tax benefits to owners and employees? When setting up an ESOP in Canada it is important to know there are no federal laws that govern ESOPs specifically. ESOPs are set up following securities legislation and The Income Tax Act of Canada. However, a major consideration to designing a plan is the tax treatment to employee shareholders. Plans can be designed so that employees of a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC) who become shareholders would not be subject to tax when getting the shares and can access capital gains tax treatment when the shares are sold (50% of the gain is taken into income and taxed at…
- Canadian employee ownership, Employee Ownership, Employee Ownership Trust, employee-owned company, EOTs, ESOP Benefits, ESOPs in Canada, income equality, Owners, Retention, Succession planning, Talent attraction, Wealth gap
Employee ownership interest is surging
July 18, 2022: FriesenPress announces ESOPs in Canada now a bestseller as many search for employee ownership information in Canada. More and more business owners are reading about Employee Share Ownership Plans or ESOPs. ESOPs can be a smart way to sell your company and a great way to attract the best employees. Owners and professional advisers are turning to the practical guide, ESOPs in Canada, to learn more about how to sell to employees successfully and employee ownership in general. Interest in employee ownership got a boost in February when Budget 2022 stated that the federal government plans, “to create the Employee Ownership Trust—a new, dedicated type of trust…
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