NATIONAL Public Relations

Public Relations Servicesnational.ca

NATIONAL Public Relations is Canada's largest full-service public relations and strategic communications consultancy, employing 300 professionals across nine offices from Vancouver to St. John's. Founded in 1976, it serves enterprise and government clients across healthcare, energy, financial services, transportation, manufacturing, and technology sectors.

Company typePrivate
Founded1976
HeadquartersMontréal, Canada
Headcount251–500
GTM typeB2B
OfferingServices

What NATIONAL Public Relations does

NATIONAL Public Relations is Canada's largest full-service public relations and strategic communications consultancy, headquartered in Montreal and operating through nine offices spanning Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, Halifax, and St. John's. Founded in 1976 by Luc Beauregard, the firm is a member of the privately-held AVENIR GLOBAL network (1,000 staff across 22 locations in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East). The company serves enterprise and government clients across six primary verticals — healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, transportation, and technology — with a service portfolio spanning corporate communications, public affairs and government relations, marketing and brand management, digital communications, integrated campaigns, financial communications, and crisis management. Notable methodology assets include a proprietary Belief-Based Behaviour Digital Ethnography research approach and a Values-Based Engagement Planning framework.

The firm employs approximately 300 professionals, with more than 60% women and language capabilities spanning over 40 languages. It is the only PR firm in Canada with a strong local presence from Newfoundland to Vancouver and the only firm offering services in the 14 Inuit communities of Nunavik. Its 50-year operating history includes long-tenured client relationships (many clients retained over 30 years), industry recognition including CPRS Agency Team of the Year (2024) and PRovoke Media Top 10 in Canada (2025), and an M&A expansion track record (SHIFT Communications 2016, Octane Strategies 2018, Time & Space 2023 via parent). The business model operates on retainer and project-based engagements delivered through Managing Partner-led teams in each local market, with cross-border referrals through the AVENIR GLOBAL network extending reach to 22 locations globally. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

NATIONAL Public Relations firmographics

Firmographics

Name: NATIONAL Public Relations
Legal name: National Public Relations Inc.
Website: https://national.ca
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1976
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 251–500 employees
Short description: NATIONAL Public Relations is Canada's largest full-service public relations and strategic communications consultancy, employing 300 professionals across nine offices from Vancouver to St. John's. Founded in 1976, it serves enterprise and government clients across healthcare, energy, financial services, transportation, manufacturing, and technology sectors.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

NATIONAL Public Relations industry classification

Industry

Product category: Public Relations Services
NAICS: Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
SIC: Communications Services, Nec (4899)
akta.pro primary industry: Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB)
akta.pro secondary industries: PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL), Public Affairs & Government Relations (MPAAADAE), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

Keywords

Public relations services
Corporate communications
Government relations
Strategic communications
Crisis management

Where NATIONAL Public Relations is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Montréal
HQ country: Canada
HQ region: North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

NATIONAL Public Relations business model

Business model

GTM type: B2B
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

Professional Communications and Public Relations Services: NATIONAL generates revenue through professional communications consulting services including corporate communications, public affairs and government relations, marketing and brand management, digital communications, crisis management, and integrated campaign services. The firm serves clients across healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, transportation, technology, and other sectors. Revenue is derived from retainer agreements and project-based engagements with enterprise clients.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Other	Multi-year contract	Enterprise consulting and communications advisory services

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

NATIONAL Public Relations product offering

Product offering

Core offering

NATIONAL Public Relations is Canada's leading public relations and strategic communications consultancy, delivering corporate communications, public affairs and government relations, marketing and brand management, digital communications, financial communications, and crisis management services to enterprise and government clients. The firm operates across nine Canadian offices from Vancouver to St. John's, serving clients in healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, transportation, and technology sectors through retainer and project-based engagements.

Product overview

NATIONAL Public Relations operates as a full-service public relations and strategic communications consultancy, not a software platform. The firm offers a comprehensive suite of professional services organized around five core areas: Internal and External Communications (corporate, crisis, cybersecurity, media relations), Stakeholder Relations (government relations, advocacy, Indigenous relations), Marketing and Brand Management (B2B, consumer, branding, events), Integrated Communications (digital, content, social media, research), and Financial Communications (capital markets, investor relations, transactions). Sectoral expertise spans healthcare, manufacturing, energy, financial services, transportation, and technology. The firm also provides training programs. Services are delivered through nine Canadian offices (Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Saint John, Halifax, St. John's) as part of the AVENIR GLOBAL network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

Internal and External Communications
Stakeholder Relations and Public Affairs
Marketing and Brand Management
Integrated Communications
Financial Communications
Training Programs

Quantifiable outcome

Over 9 million earned media impressions generated for metastatic breast cancer awareness campaign 'It's About mBC Time' for Pfizer Canada
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use NATIONAL Public Relations

Customer profile

Named customers13 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

NATIONAL Public Relations technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

NATIONAL Public Relations partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Time & Space (Halifax-based media agency)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2023AVENIR GLOBAL acquired Halifax-based media agency Time & Space in October 2023. Time & Space operates as part of the AVENIR GLOBAL network alongside NATIONAL, extending the group's media and communications capabilities in Atlantic Canada.
AVENIR GLOBALcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAVENIR GLOBAL is the parent holding company of NATIONAL Public Relations. It is a privately-held, Canadian-owned and based agency holding company with 1,000 staff in 22 locations across Canada, the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. NATIONAL operates as a member firm within this network, contributing to and benefiting from the broader group's capabilities and client relationships.
Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF)minorOthersNational Public Relations is a member of the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF), the national industry association representing Canada's leading PR firms.
Alliance des cabinets de relations publiques du Québec (ACRPQ)minorOthersNational is a member of the Alliance des cabinets de relations publiques du Québec (ACRPQ), the Quebec provincial industry association for public relations firms.
Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS)minorOthersNATIONAL is a proud partner of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), participating in CPRS Awards of Excellence and industry events.
Société québécoise des professionnels en relations publiques (SQPRP)minorOthersNATIONAL is a partner of the SQPRP, Quebec's professional public relations society, and participates in its annual awards gala.
Public Relations Without Borders (RPWB)minorOthersNATIONAL is a partner of Public Relations Without Borders (RPWB / Relations publiques sans frontières), an international network of PR professionals.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

NATIONAL Public Relations competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Broad incumbents

Edelman Canada: Canadian arm of Edelman, the world's largest independent PR firm, providing corporate communications, public affairs, health, and marketing services to enterprise clients competing for the same large mandates as NATIONAL.
Weber Shandwick (Inizio Evoke) Canada: Canadian presence of global IPG-owned network offering PR, public affairs, and integrated communications to multinational and Canadian enterprise clients with deeper international scale.
Burson (formerly BCW) Canada: Canadian arm of the WPP-owned global PR network offering corporate communications, public affairs, and healthcare communications — overlapping sector mandate with NATIONAL, particularly in healthcare and financial services.
Hill & Knowlton Strategies Canada: Canadian arm of the global WPP-owned consultancy specializing in public affairs, government relations, crisis, and corporate communications — close comparable on government relations and regulated-sector work.
FleishmanHillard Canada: Canadian operations of global Omnicom-owned PR network offering public affairs, corporate comms, and integrated marketing to enterprise and government clients — competes head-to-head on large mandates.

Direct peers

MSL Canada: Canadian PR and public affairs agency within Publicis Groupe offering corporate communications, public affairs, and marketing services to enterprise clients in comparable verticals.
Strategic Communications Inc. Independent Canadian public affairs and communications consultancy with comparable government relations, public engagement, and corporate communications offerings serving enterprise and government clients across Canada.
Argyle Communications: Canadian independent public relations and public affairs agency offering integrated communications services to enterprise, association, and government clients — directly comparable mid-market Canadian competitor.

Others

Cossette (dentsu) Canada: Major Canadian-owned marketing communications network serving similar enterprise clients with broader advertising/marketing mix; adjacent rather than direct overlap given more marketing-ad focus.

Regional players

DDB Public Relations Canada: Omnicom-owned creative and PR network operating in Canada offering PR and marketing communications; comparable on marketing and brand services but lighter on public affairs specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

NATIONAL Public Relations compliance and trust

Trust signal

Compliance2 records

NATIONAL Public Relations financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

NATIONAL Public Relations leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

NATIONAL Public Relations subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries1 record

NATIONAL Public Relations funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

NATIONAL Public Relations M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NATIONAL Public Relations

What does NATIONAL Public Relations do?

Is NATIONAL Public Relations a public or private company?

NATIONAL Public Relations is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.

When was NATIONAL Public Relations founded?

NATIONAL Public Relations was founded in 1976. It employs 251 to 500 people.

Where is NATIONAL Public Relations based?

NATIONAL Public Relations is headquartered in Montréal, Canada, in the North America region.

How does NATIONAL Public Relations make money?

One revenue line is on record: professional Communications and Public Relations Services.

Who are NATIONAL Public Relations's main competitors?

Broad incumbents on record are Edelman Canada, Weber Shandwick (Inizio Evoke) Canada, Burson (formerly BCW) Canada, Hill & Knowlton Strategies Canada and FleishmanHillard Canada. Direct peers are MSL Canada, Strategic Communications Inc. and Argyle Communications. Cossette (dentsu) Canada is listed as an others. DDB Public Relations Canada is listed as a regional player.

Does NATIONAL Public Relations have an API?

No public API is recorded for NATIONAL Public Relations.

What industry is NATIONAL Public Relations in?

NATIONAL Public Relations's product category is Public Relations Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFADAB, Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying, with a secondary code of BPAFAAAL, PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management. Its NAICS code is 54182 and its SIC code is 4899.