City
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada layoff tracker · since October 2025
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All layoff events in Ottawa
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.
Fifty-five front-line nurses and personal support workers at Ottawa's Bruyère Health are facing layoffs, according to their union. The organization is referring to the action as a 'redeployment process.'
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police will cut 76 positions at its national headquarters in Ottawa as the national police force looks to find billions of dollars in savings in its budget.
The Department of Justice is cutting approximately 73 employees from its Indigenous rights and relations unit, representing more than one-fifth of the 328 at-risk positions across the entire department. The Treasury Board's latest numbers show the Justice Department plans to cut 197 employees and 37 executives.
Library and Archives Canada announced the elimination of 56 positions. The cuts were reported on February 16, 2026.
For departments outside the core public service, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has told CTV News Ottawa 587 positions will be cut in its department.
The Parole Board of Canada will eliminate 37 positions.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is planning to cut over 500 jobs as part of the federal government's larger workforce reduction strategy. The Public Service Alliance of Canada, another union speaking for CFIA workers, has said 1,371 employees at the agency have received workforce adjustment notices. The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada staged a demonstration in downtown Ottawa to protest the cuts, warning of impacts on disease surveillance and emergency response.
Global Affairs Canada is eliminating 483 positions as part of a government-wide workforce adjustment, affecting 3,295 of its 7,657 employees. The department is targeting $1.12 billion in annual savings through 2028-29, prioritizing voluntary departures and natural attrition.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency will cut 1,371 jobs as part of the government's cost-cutting exercise, according to the Agriculture Union. The union warns the cuts will lead to a looming food safety crisis and increased foodborne illnesses and disease in livestock and poultry.
The Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre plans to eliminate 15 jobs at its long-term care facility (Royal Ottawa Place) and an additional 5 jobs elsewhere, affecting nurses and personal support workers. The union CUPE 942 warns the cuts will negatively impact care for patients with serious mental health issues, while the hospital disputes this and claims the staffing changes reflect regular business operations.
Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) is facing planned federal funding cuts of approximately 80 percent, with full-time staff numbers expected to decrease by almost 200 employees. The cuts would significantly impact grassroots and frontline organizations across Canada that provide support to survivors of gender-based violence.
The Public Health Agency of Canada is cutting approximately 320 jobs, representing 10 per cent of its workforce, as part of a post-pandemic recalibration effort. Letters to impacted employees are expected to be distributed the following week.
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.
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.