Canadian Layoff Tracker

Fanshawe College announced an additional 163 job cuts, bringing the total workforce reduction target from 400 to 500 positions, despite receiving new provincial funding. The cuts are driven by lower-than-expected enrollment following federal restrictions on international students, with the college projecting 17,200 current students compared to 22,000 the previous year.

Coca-Cola Canada announced the discontinuation of frozen juice production at its Minute Maid facility in Peterborough, Ontario, resulting in 6 permanent layoffs—significantly less than the initially projected 40 job losses. The union negotiated enhanced severance packages and ensured all remaining employees would stay in Peterborough as other Minute Maid products continue to be produced at the facility.

Smurfit Westrock will permanently close one paper machine at its La Tuque mill and an extrusion facility in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec, resulting in approximately 90 workforce reductions (30 at La Tuque and 60 at Pointe-aux-Trembles). The closure addresses ongoing scale and cost challenges with the paper machine's 127,000 ton annual production capacity of solid bleached sulfate (SBS) products.

Planned Parenthood Ottawa laid off all six front-line staff members due to a cash crisis caused by stagnating government and community grant funding combined with increased demand for services. The organization, which has operated in Ottawa since the 1960s, is now operating with only its executive director and volunteers while seeking additional grants expected in February.

General Motors paused production of an electric cargo van at its Ingersoll, Ontario plant, resulting in 1,000 job cuts. The layoffs were attributed to impacts from U.S. President Donald Trump's import tariffs on Canadian goods affecting the auto industry.

Telus announced layoffs in 2026, affecting Canadian employees. The article provides guidance on employee rights and severance pay entitlements.

Ubisoft Entertainment closed its Halifax production studio, eliminating 71 jobs three weeks after staff voted to unionize. The company attributed the closure to cost-optimization measures as part of broader global studio consolidation, though the timing raised concerns from the Communications Workers of America union.

Perley Health, a long-term care home in Ottawa, is cutting 52 positions including 39 unionized and 13 non-unionized roles, representing about six per cent of its workforce. The layoffs affect personal support workers, housekeeping, and kitchen staff, with workers and union representatives expressing concerns about potential impacts on the quality of care for residents.

The Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum will cut permanent staff levels by 18% over the next three years, eliminating approximately 70 positions due to federal budget cuts requiring $2.4 million in combined savings. The layoffs will affect a broad range of employees from executives to security and tour staff, with management positions facing a 24% reduction.

Tree Island Steel, a Richmond, British Columbia-based wire and fabricated wire products manufacturer, implemented a 27% workforce reduction in response to a sharp revenue decline in 2025. The downturn was driven by lower U.S. volumes amid expanded U.S. tariffs, resulting in full-year sales falling to $161.8 million from $207.0 million and a net loss of $5.3 million.

The Bureau of Pension Advocates, a Veterans Affairs bureau that provides free legal advice to veterans and RCMP members denied disability benefits, is eliminating almost 100 temporary positions including 24 lawyers. This represents a 44 per cent workforce reduction that unions and MPs warn could negatively impact services for veterans.

The Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre will experience staff layoffs and reduced capacity due to Nova Scotia provincial budget cuts that did not restore funding to youth outreach, family resource, and after-school programs. The centre's critical preventative supports for Indigenous youth and families, including justice system navigation and domestic violence prevention services, remain at risk following the partial reversal of the provincial government's controversial budget cuts.

Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia laid off 31 unionized and non-unionized staff members in administrative and service roles due to financial pressures including enrolment shifts, funding constraints, and rising operating costs. The layoffs affected positions including Wong International Centre staff, health promotions staff, and student counsellors, but did not impact academic and teaching positions.

North Island College is cutting teaching and administrative positions, affecting approximately 10 full-time equivalent jobs, due to an $8.4 million decline in international revenue by 2027 caused by federal immigration policy changes. The college is also suspending 15 programs and reviewing offerings with lower enrolment to address significant financial challenges.

Mission Hill Vineyards laid off workers following a catastrophic winter freeze that caused significant reduction in operations. A British Columbia arbitrator dismissed a grievance seeking severance pay for one of the affected workers.

Camosun College announced workforce adjustments due to a $7.2-9 million budget cut caused by a 60% drop in international student enrollment. The college has issued Section 54 notices to its three unions and is exploring alternatives to layoffs including early retirements, voluntary severance, and reduced term contracts, though exact numbers of affected employees have not been disclosed.

Correctional Service Canada plans to cut over 400 positions across federal penitentiaries as part of budget cuts requiring $132 million in savings over three years, including the elimination of approximately 50 library technician and employment co-ordinator positions. Critics warn the cuts could negatively impact inmate recidivism and reintegration, describing it as 'the hollowing out of a core rehabilitative service.'

Nova Scotia Community College announced a $9.4 million cut to its operating grant that will result in approximately 230 job losses over the next four years, equivalent to eliminating one large campus. The cuts are expected to reduce staffing by three percent annually, with union representatives warning of significant impacts on student programs and the provincial economy.

Peel District School Board issued layoff notices affecting 331 permanent teachers (159 secondary and 172 elementary) effective August 31, 2026, citing declining enrollment and budget constraints. The layoffs were announced after the Ontario government took over the board's operations in January 2026 and rejected the board's request to use $1-2 million from its $130 million reserves to prevent the job cuts.

Thompson Rivers University has shed more than 10% of its workforce in the last 15 months due to a 26% drop in international enrolment caused by federal immigration policy changes. The university expects to slash an additional $25 million from next year's budget, with ongoing layoffs and potential elimination of five academic student services due to unfilled retirements and sabbaticals.