Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)

The federal government plans to reduce the public service by 15 per cent over three years, resulting in more than 800 positions being cut at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). These cuts threaten Canada's Arctic research capabilities and role in global environmental science, particularly affecting scientists involved in monitoring toxins, persistent organic pollutants, and mercury in Arctic wildlife and communities.

The federal government's plan to reduce the public service by 15 per cent over three years will result in more than 800 positions being cut at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). The cuts threaten Canada's Arctic science research capabilities, including long-term monitoring of toxins and contaminants that inform international environmental treaties and policies.

Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government is cutting 840 positions (approximately 10% of workforce) at Environment and Climate Change Canada as part of a broader federal public service reduction of 16,000 full-time equivalent positions over three years. On Jan. 27, an email went out to ECCC’s Science and Technology Branch (STB) staff from assistant deputy minister Marc D’Iorio, warning that 120 full-time roles would be cut over the next year, starting in April. Scientists and labour leaders warn the cuts could significantly impact environmental monitoring, weather forecasting, emergency alerts, and public safety services for Canadians.

Environment and Climate Change Canada is eliminating 838 positions (801 employees and 37 executives) as part of the federal government's Comprehensive Expenditure Review (Budget 2025). This total includes vacant positions, projected attrition, and positions to be eliminated through formal workforce adjustment. Of these, 594 currently filled positions (565 employees and 29 executives) are undergoing formal Workforce Adjustment (WFA) or Career Transition (CT) proceedings — the most direct indicator of employees facing displacement. 1,035 "affected" or "at-risk" status letters have been issued (998 to employees, 37 to executives). These notices indicate potential impact and do not necessarily result in departure from the public service. The organization employs 8,778 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 2 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.