17 Canadians On Latest Forbes Billionaires List

This year's installment also boasts some interesting additions, including J.K. Rowling, the British author behind the Harry Potter franchise, and the founders of the Google search engine.

For the tenth straight year the top spot when to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, with a net worth estimated at $46.6 billion, up by 13 per cent from last year (all figures in U.S. dollars).

Investor Warren Buffett was close behind at $42.9 billion. Buffet's net worth enjoyed the largest increase from last year, $12.4 billion. Buffet and Gates often compete against each other at bridge tournaments.

Thomson ranked 15th with a net worth of $17.2 billion. Other notable Canadians include Galen Weston at 44th with $7.7 billion and Guy Laliberte of Cirque du Soleil at 514th at $1.1 billion.

Ottawa tech magnate Terry Matthews placed 472nd on the list with a net worth of $1.2 billion. However, Forbes' still lists his country of citizenship as the U.K., not Canada. Eugene Melnyk, the billionaire CEO of Toronto drug firm Biovail Corp. and owner of the Ottawa Senators, failed to make the cut. Blame that on the list being measured in U.S. dollars.

The top five in the world included German supermarket magnate Karl Albrecht, who held on to third place with $23 billion. Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal came fourth with $21.5 billion. Paul Allen, the other founder of Microsoft, placed fifth with $21 billion.

Helen Walton, wife of the late Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton and four other members of the family also placed in the top 10.

This year's list included 587 billionaires around the world, up from 476 in 2003. Their total net worth was $1.9 trillion, compared to $1.4 trillion in 2003.

Older, married men continued to dominate the list. The average age is 64. Only 27 are under the age of 40.

CANADA'S BILLIONAIRES

15. Kenneth Thomson and family, 80, $17.2 billion, publishing

44. Galen Weston and family, 63, $7.7 billion, retail

94. Jim Pattison, 75, $4.6 billion, diversified

103. Jeffrey Skoll, California, 39, $4.4 billion, E-bay

124. James, Arthur and John Irving, $3.8 billion, oil

159. Bernard (Barry) Sherman, 62, $3 billion, drugs

205. Charles Bronfman, 72, $2.5 billion, liquor

216. Paul Desmarais, 77, $2.4 billion, finance

216. Michael Lee-Chin, 53, $2.4 billion, mutual funds

342. Edward Rogers, 70, $1.7 billion, media

342. Emanuele (Lino) Saputo and family, 67, $1.7 billion, dairy

377. Daryl Katz, 42, $1.5 billion, pharmacies

377. Wallace McCain, 74, $1.5 billion, food

406. Jean Coutu, 76, $1.4 billion, pharmacies

472. Harrison McCain, 76, $1.2 billion, french fries

514. Stephen Jarislowsky, 78, $1.1 billion, asset management

514. Guy Laliberte, 44, $1.1 billion, Cirque du Soleil