Public servants to learn about job cuts in January

Federal public servants are expected to learn about job cuts in their departments when they return from their holiday break when leaders share their plans.

OTTAWA – Federal public servants are expected to learn about job cuts in their departments when they return from their holiday break.

Departments such as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Environment and Climate Change and Employment and Social Development have told their staff already that news on job cuts will be shared in the new year.

Ottawa is looking to cut program spending and administration costs by about $60 billion over the next five years through its “comprehensive expenditure review.”

The latest federal budget said the exercise will involve “restructuring operations and consolidating internal services.” It said it also will deploy workforce adjustments and attrition to return the size of the public service to “a more sustainable level.”

Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a message to its employees that the department will implement expenditure review decisions in mid-January. It said employees whose positions may be affected will be notified at that time “in accordance with workforce adjustment and career transition provisions.”

“While there is no perfect timing for these conversations, proceeding with implementation in the new year will allow us to provide clear information to all employees,” the department said. “You may be hearing news from other departments as they begin implementing their decisions.”

Employment and Social Development Canada said an adjustment in its staffing levels, including for permanent positions, will begin in January.

“We cannot confirm how many positions will be reduced at this time,” department spokesperson Mila Roy told The Canadian Press in early December. “However, ESDC will continue to leverage attrition and workforce planning, aiming to minimize impacts on employees to the maximum possible extent.”