More than 8,000 federal public service jobs to be cut across 24 departments
The Treasury Board says more than 8,000 positions will be eliminated across 24 core federal departments, part of a broader plan to cut 28,000 public service roles by 2029.
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By Torontoer Staff
The federal government will eliminate more than 8,000 public service positions across 24 core departments, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said Friday. The reductions are part of a broader plan to shrink the federal public service by 28,000 positions by 2029.
Treasury Board data shows these departments will reduce their workforces by a combined 15,755 employees and 642 executive positions through workforce adjustments, attrition and early retirement. The Canada Strong Budget 2025 set out the government’s target to cut the overall public service from 367,772 employees in March 2024 to roughly 330,000 by 2028-29.
How the reductions are structured
The government plans to eliminate 16,000 full-time equivalent positions, including 650 executive posts, through its comprehensive expenditure review, while another 12,000 positions, including 350 executives, are expected to go through attrition and early retirement. For the 24 departments in the core public service, Treasury Board said 8,230 non-management and 425 management positions will be removed as part of the expenditure review. A further 7,525 positions and 217 executive roles will be cut through attrition and early retirement.
Departments began issuing notice letters in December and continued into January, warning staff that their roles may be affected by the review. Union data indicates more than 30 federal departments and national institutions, including some museums and agencies outside the core public service, have issued affected notices in recent weeks.
Departments with the largest planned reductions
- Employment and Social Development Canada: overall reduction of 5,313 employees and 98 executives. The expenditure review targets 931 employees and 39 executives, and the department issued notices to 3,032 employees and 47 managers in January.
- Health Canada: 1,056 employees and 36 executives targeted through the expenditure review. Notices were issued to 2,052 employees and 406 executives.
- Public Services and Procurement Canada: planned reduction of 1,022 employees and 68 executives, with 722 employees and 39 executives targeted through the expenditure review. Notices issued to 1,114 employees and 39 executives.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: expected cuts of 901 employees and 45 executives, including 569 employees and 23 executives from the expenditure review. Notices reached 1,101 employees and 32 executives.
- Statistics Canada: 887 employee positions and 13 management roles to be eliminated, with 764 positions identified under the expenditure review. Notices were sent to 3,274 employees.
- Environment and Climate Change Canada: reductions of 801 employees and 37 managers, including 565 employees and 29 executives under the expenditure review. Notices were issued to 998 employees and 37 managers.
- Natural Resources Canada: 785 employees and 22 executives to be reduced, with 433 employees and 12 executives identified under the workforce adjustment. Notices were sent to 678 employees and 10 executives.
- Global Affairs Canada: cuts of 780 employees and 60 executives, including 483 employees and 25 executives under the expenditure review. The department issued notices to 3,295 employees and 406 executives.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada: 724 employee and 43 management positions to be cut, including 265 employees and 25 executives through the expenditure review.
- Shared Services Canada: reductions totalling 699 employees and 29 executives, with 448 employees and 29 executives under the expenditure review. Notices were issued to 1,290 employees and 49 executives.
Other departments with planned reductions include Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Transport Canada, Public Safety Canada, the Privy Council Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Treasury Board Secretariat, Canadian Heritage and the Department of Finance. The Public Health Agency, several smaller agencies and a number of tribunals and schools within the public service also reported planned cuts or notices.
Agencies and institutions outside the core public service
The Treasury Board data covers only the core public service. Agencies and arm’s-length institutions reported separate reductions. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency said it will cut 587 positions. The Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum expect to eliminate a combined 67 positions.
Timeline, notices and next steps
Notices began in December and continued through January, with many departments sending multiple rounds of affected notices to employees and managers. The government says reductions will be carried out through workforce adjustment, attrition and early retirement measures. Specific timelines for individual departments and the details of redeployment, severance or retirement offers will be managed at the departmental level.
The public service head count used in the budget documents was 367,772 in March 2024. Treasury Board reported 357,965 federal employees as of March 31, 2025. The government’s stated target is roughly 330,000 by 2028-29 as part of the Canada Strong Budget 2025.
The announcement lays out the scale of the cuts and the departments most affected. Departments say further details on timelines and supports for impacted employees will be provided as workforce adjustments proceed.
federal governmentpublic servicejobsTreasury Boardworkforce reductions
