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The rich 100: 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001
The rich list | Fortune & fame | Life in the fast lane | Arts patrons | Newcomers | Silver spoons | The invisibles
1. Kenneth Thomson and family: $22.03 billion
It was a very good year for the Thomson Corp. The information company sold its Thomson Media group to Investcorp for US$350 million and gobbled up at least 10 companies of all types and sizes. This fall, it announced it was selling $900 million worth of notes to partially fund the redemption of $1.2 billion worth of debt securities.
2. Galen Weston: $8.67 billion
Low-carb diets dealt a blow to Weston's food empire this summer as consumers avoided white-flour bakery products; second-quarter earnings took a 27% dive — the biggest in four and a half years. In September, Weston's supply of Wonder Bread became tenuous as its supplier, Interstate Bakeries Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection, blaming diet preferences, heavy debt and high costs.
3. Jeff Skoll: $6.66 billion
The former eBay president founded Los Angeles-based Participant Productions in January, and he wants to fund four to six "socially relevant, commercially viable" feature films annually. He expects the cost of these Gandhi-like movies will average US$20 million each.
4. James (J. K.), Arthur and John (Jack) Irving: $4.99 billion
In March, Irving Oil Ltd. was the first Canadian company to be named North American Refiner of the Year by Texas-based Hart Energy Publishing, a major energy sector publisher. The award recognizes refiners with exemplary achievements in areas such as producing clean fuels and dedication to environmental performance.
5. James (Jimmy) Pattison: $4.17 billion
Pattison and his guests had a scare this September when they were evacuated from his 150-foot luxury yacht after a fire broke out in the engine room. The high-profile guests included former B.C. premier Glen Clark, Time Inc. CEO Ann Moore and Michael Korenberg, vice-chairman of the Jim Pattison Group.
6. Paul Desmarais Sr.: $3.94 billion
The 77-year-old Montreal financier snatched up French publisher Groupe Moniteur in March through his Paris-based private equity firm, Sagard SAS, for US$335 million.
7. Saputo family: $2.78 billion
In August, Lino Saputo, founder of North America's fourth-largest cheese producer, bought an 80% stake in Place Victoria, a downtown landmark and home of the Montréal Exchange, for an undisclosed price. The one-million-square-foot building is worth approximately $250 million.
8. Bernard (Barry) Sherman: $2.5 billion
The largest Canadian pharmaceutical company claims to have made the largest pharmaceutical investment in Canadian history: in November, Sherman's Apotex Inc. invested $627 million to open four new R&D and production facilities in the Toronto area and created 1,500 new scientific and engineering jobs.
9. David Azrieli: $2.26 billion
The 82-year-old real estate mogul received an honorary doctor of architecture degree from Carleton University last November, complementing his four other honorary doctorates.
10. Edward (Ted) Rogers Jr.: $2.21 billion
Rogers Wireless made headlines this fall when it purchased Microcell Telecommunications Inc., the parent company of Fido, for $1.4 billion. The acquisition makes Rogers the largest wireless carrier in Canada.
11. Fred and Ron Mannix: $1.91 billion
Set up nearly four years ago to manage the assets of the Mannix family, the Mancal Bank in Barbados, a private international institution, began catering to high-net-worth individuals and companies in December.
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