Bell Canada cuts almost 700 jobs as part of plan to deliver ‘sustainable growth’

Bell signage is seen at BCE Inc., headquarters in Montreal on Wednesday, May 7, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

The parent company of Bell Canada is slashing nearly 700 jobs in what it is calling a “difficult but necessary decision.”

BCE Inc. confirmed in an email Thursday that approximately 650 manager positions at Bell, along with around 40 jobs at its Bell Media subsidiary, are affected.

The company said that represents less than two per cent of Bell’s total workforce and less than one per cent of the Bell Media team, respectively. It said no unionized employees had been laid off.

The media division cuts are “predominantly” in corporate departments, the company said.

Bell spokeswoman Katherine Cuplinskas said the move was made “to better align our team structure with our growth plan.”

“We know this is difficult for those who are impacted and we are supporting each person affected,” she said.

“Bell continues to invest in strategic priorities that enhance the customer experience and grow the business.”

The decision comes after BCE previously announced a goal to find $1.5 billion in total cost savings by 2028 through a “companywide transformation and continued focus on operational efficiencies.”

That figure was shared at the company’s investor day event last month, when it outlined a three-year strategic plan for growth focused on fibre, wireless, AI-powered enterprise solutions and digital media.

In February, Bell began offering voluntary separation packages and retirement incentive offers to unionized employees, aiming to reduce its workforce by around 1,200 jobs, according to Unifor.

A year earlier, Bell slashed nine per cent of its workforce, affecting about 4,800 jobs, as part of a shakeup that also saw it offload dozens of radio stations and end multiple television newscasts.

That followed the elimination of around 1,300 positions — about three per cent of its workforce at the time — in June 2023.

Earlier this month, BCE reported a profit attributable to common shareholders of $4.50 billion or $4.84 per share in its latest quarter, which ended Sept. 30. That compared with a loss of $1.24 billion or $1.36 per share in the same quarter last year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 20, 2025.

Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press

CTV News is a division of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc.