Nov 3 – Nov 9, 2025

Serco, the private company operating 5 Wing Goose Bay military base in Newfoundland and Labrador, laid off five civilian employees including a customer service manager, mechanic, supply operative, workforce planner and HR coordinator. The layoffs were announced despite the federal government's recent commitment to increase defence spending by $81.8 billion over the next five years.

West Fraser announced a mill closure in 100 Mile House, British Columbia, resulting in 165 job losses. The layoffs were announced on November 7, 2025.

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.

Mohawk College laid off at least 380 employees and suspended more than a dozen programs in late 2024 and early 2025 to address an expected $50-million deficit caused by federal caps on international student permits. The college's cuts are part of a broader crisis affecting Ontario colleges, which have collectively cut $1.8 billion, suspended over 600 programs, and eliminated more than 8,000 positions due to reduced international student enrollment.

Calgary-based Imperial Oil announced plans to eliminate approximately 900 jobs, representing about 20 per cent of its workforce, in the coming years due to persistently low oil prices. The layoffs are part of broader cost-cutting measures across the Canadian oilpatch as companies attempt to stabilize their balance sheets amid a decline in crude oil prices from $70 US to less than $60 per barrel.

Concordia University announced it will not renew limited-term contracts for 63 full-time faculty members as of June 2026 due to a 23% drop in international student enrollment and significant budget shortfalls. The cost-cutting measures also include deferring sabbaticals and offering voluntary retirement packages to full-time faculty, driven by federal and provincial immigration policy restrictions that have reduced the university's revenue projections by approximately $84 million.

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.

Selkirk College in British Columbia laid off faculty and staff due to a 32% drop in international student enrollment this year, resulting in a projected $3-4 million budget shortfall. The college also closed several learning centers and specialized arts programs as it adapted to new federal immigration rules that rendered popular post-graduate programs ineligible for post-graduate work permits.