Government

Over 200 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) working at Natural Resources Canada received notices of potential job loss as part of federal budget cuts. The layoffs are expected to impact critical programs including the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation (CCMEO), which tracks wildfires, floods, and other geohazards, as well as forest pathologist positions.

The City of Regina has proposed laying off more than 50 firefighters as part of a potential budget cut exercise that includes closing two fire stations. The proposal is among 139 hypothetical cost-saving measures totaling $71.5 million that city council will deliberate on December 15-19, 2025.

The Canadian federal government has begun notifying public servants of possible job cuts as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, with plans to cut 28,000 positions and achieve $60 billion in savings by 2029. The goal is to reduce the federal public service from 357,965 employees (as of March 31, 2025) to 330,000 by 2028-29 through job cuts, attrition, and early retirements, with approximately 68,000 early retirement notices already issued to public servants.

Public Health Agency of Canada is eliminating 53 positions (53 employees) 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. The organization employs 3,372 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 1 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.

Public Service Commission of Canada is eliminating 40 positions (40 employees) 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, 38 currently filled positions (38 employees) are undergoing formal Workforce Adjustment (WFA) or Career Transition (CT) proceedings — the most direct indicator of employees facing displacement. 42 "affected" or "at-risk" status letters have been issued (42 to employees, 0 to executives). These notices indicate potential impact and do not necessarily result in departure from the public service. The organization employs 803 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 1 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.

Of these, 16 currently filled positions (16 executives) are undergoing formal Workforce Adjustment (WFA) or Career Transition (CT) proceedings — the most direct indicator of employees facing displacement. 188 "affected" or "at-risk" status letters have been issued (175 to employees, 13 to executives). These notices indicate potential impact and do not necessarily result in departure from the public service. The organization employs 1,892 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 1, Phase 3 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.

Natural Resources Canada is eliminating 807 positions (785 employees and 22 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, 445 currently filled positions (433 employees and 12 executives) are undergoing formal Workforce Adjustment (WFA) or Career Transition (CT) proceedings — the most direct indicator of employees facing displacement. 688 "affected" or "at-risk" status letters have been issued (678 to employees, 10 to executives). These notices indicate potential impact and do not necessarily result in departure from the public service. The organization employs 6,044 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 1 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.

Privy Council Office is eliminating 179 positions (157 employees and 22 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, 126 currently filled positions (118 employees and 8 executives) are undergoing formal Workforce Adjustment (WFA) or Career Transition (CT) proceedings — the most direct indicator of employees facing displacement. 239 "affected" or "at-risk" status letters have been issued (221 to employees, 18 to executives). These notices indicate potential impact and do not necessarily result in departure from the public service. The organization employs 1,208 people in the core public administration as of March 2025. Notifications were issued in Phase 1 of the Government of Canada's workforce reduction process.

The Canadian federal government's implementation of AI translation tools (GCtranslate) is expected to result in approximately 339 job losses among the 1,300+ employees in the Translation Bureau. The union representing translators and language experts warns that relying on AI without human oversight risks translation quality and threatens the protection of French language services across Canadian government operations.

The federal government's Budget 2025 includes plans to cut 16,000 full-time equivalent positions across dozens of departments over the next three fiscal years, with the goal of reducing the federal public service to 333,000 employees by 2029. Major savings targets include the Canada Revenue Agency ($4.1B), Housing/Infrastructure/Communities ($5.4B), and Veterans Affairs ($4.1B), achieved through program closures, operational efficiencies, and increased AI automation.

Kitchener Public Library announced a restructuring that will result in 5 layoffs while simultaneously creating 4 new full-time positions and 1 new part-time position. The union representing library workers warns that the changes will reduce the number of staff overseeing community programs from 36 to 12 full-time roles, potentially impacting library services and specialized programs.

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 Canada Revenue Agency reduced its workforce by roughly 10 per cent, eliminating more than 8,000 positions over a little over a year since May 2024, with many cuts at call centres. Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne subsequently halted the call centre job cuts and directed the CRA to hire more staff to address service delays.

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 Canada Revenue Agency has laid off nearly 3,300 call centre employees since May 2024, resulting in fewer than 5% of callers being able to reach an agent according to the Union of Taxation Employees. Further job cuts are expected due to Prime Minister Mark Carney's directive for federal ministries to reduce spending by 7.5% in fiscal 2026, 10% in 2027, and 15% in 2028-29.

The New Brunswick government has applied for a judicial review and stay of a labour board decision that ordered the province to rescind layoff notices for library workers in three school districts (Anglophone West, Anglophone South, and Francophone South) and reinstate reduced hours for school administrative assistants. Finance Minister René Legacy stated the government intends to proceed with the library worker layoffs once legally permitted, arguing library workers do not provide direct support to students.

A report predicts that the number of federal public service jobs in Canada could drop by almost 60,000. The article references Minister of Finance and National Revenue François-Philippe Champagne but does not provide details on implementation timeline or specific reasons for the predicted job losses.

The Township of Fauquier-Strickland in Northern Ontario announced it will cease all municipal services and lay off five township employees as of August 1, 2025, due to a $2.5-million operating deficit. The municipality of 467 people exhausted its cash reserves and faced the choice between shutting down services or implementing a 190-230 percent property tax increase on residents.

The City of Windsor eliminated 38 seasonal and part-time caretaker positions at arenas and community centres due to a failed agreement on job protection with CUPE Local 82. The union had negotiated for 19 months seeking a memorandum of understanding to prevent elimination of full-time positions while seasonal employees remain employed.

The Canada Revenue Agency laid off approximately 1,800 call center employees in May and June 2025, but subsequently rehired about 160 agents and extended contracts for others following public complaints about long wait times. The agency is implementing a 100-day improvement plan that includes self-service expansion, AI chatbot deployment, and increased staffing to address service delivery issues.