In the U.S., employee stock ownership plans, or ESOPs, have long been an effective tool for both business owners and employees. According to the National Center for Employee Ownership, there are approximately 7,000 ESOPs in the U.S. that hold about $1.7 trillion in assets, covering nearly 14 million workers. Businesses in Canada, however, have not been able to take full advantage of the employee-owned structure. But the tide is turning.