New data, released after significant pressure, details the federal government's plan to eliminate nearly 2,000 full-time equivalent positions across five departments and agencies by the 2029-2030 fiscal year.
Data Released After Parliamentary Pressure
The figures were reluctantly provided by the government in mid-December, following requests from Canada's Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), Jason Jacques, and parliamentarians. The information had been withheld initially, with Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali arguing it would be unfair to publicize numbers before informing affected employees.
The data shows a reduction of approximately 1,927 FTEs, representing around $1.5 billion in planned savings over four years. These cuts are part of the broader federal budget presented in November, which projected a reduction of roughly 30,000 jobs across the public service but lacked specific departmental breakdowns.
Which Agencies Are Affected?
The PBO analysis focused on five specific organizations where potential service impacts could be noticeable for Canadians. The selected agencies are all subject to the government's "up-to-15 per cent" spending reduction target.
The impacted organizations are:
- The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
- Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Correctional Service Canada (CSC)
- The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)
In total, around 28 programs within these five organizations will be impacted by the staffing reductions. A full-time equivalent (FTE) represents the work of one full-time employee, meaning the cuts could affect a larger number of part-time workers whose hours combine to equal those positions.
Limited Service Impact Claimed
According to the PBO's analysis, the federal government indicated that the planned reductions are expected to have a "low" or "limited" impact on existing service levels for Canadians. However, the PBO noted that the information provided on potential service-level impacts was itself limited and varied across the different organizations.
Caroline Nicol, an advisor-analyst at the PBO and co-author of the report, explained that analyzing all departments facing cuts before the budget vote was not operationally feasible. These five were chosen as a first wave for review.
The PBO also criticized the government's approach to releasing the data, stating it received the information in a roundabout way and accusing the government of "disregarding its legislative obligations" to provide information to the parliamentary watchdog in a timely and transparent manner. The budget outlining these sweeping cuts is still making its way through Parliament.
