400 jobs to be cut at Natural Resources Canada by 2029

A federal office tower in Ottawa. Aug. 2, 2021. (Jackie Perez / CTV News Ottawa)

Approximately 400 positions will be cut at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) over the next four years, as part of the federal government’s Comprehensive Expenditure Review to find $60 billion in savings.

The federal department told CTV News Ottawa on Tuesday that “approximately 700 indeterminate employees” received letters this month to “inform them that their position will or may be impacted by future changes.”

“In total, NRCan plans to eliminate approximately 400 positions by 2028-29,” Natural Resources Canada said in a statement.

“We remain committed to supporting employees as they move through the process of considering the options available to them, including alternating to other jobs in the public service, early retirement, voluntary departure, or employment outside the public service. In the end, we anticipate that only a small number of those who receive letters would leave involuntarily.”

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The 2025 federal budget directed Natural Resources Canada to find $1.892 billion in savings over four years, along with ending the 2 Billion Trees program and winding down several programs like the Canada Greener Homes Grant.

“To meet up to 15 per cent in savings targets over three years, Natural Resources Canada will optimize internal processes to reduce administrative burden, reducing management layers, and adopting new approaches to leverage AI,” the budget said.

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The Public Service Alliance of Canada said 219 of its members at Natural Resources Canada received notices their jobs may be affected by the spending cuts, while the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) said 202 of its members at Natural Resources Canada received notices. The Canadian Association of Professional Employees said some of its members at NRCan received notices their jobs may be affected by the workforce adjustment.

According to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, 6,044 people were employed at Natural Resources Canada as of March 31, 2025.

“The department and its approximately 5,400 indeterminate employees will continue to work to fulfill our mandate of improving the quality of life of Canadians by ensuring the country’s abundant natural resources are developed sustainably, competitively and inclusively,” NRCan said.

The Canada Strong Budget 2025 outlined a plan to cut another 28,000 positions from the federal public service.

The goal is to reduce the size of the federal public service by 40,000 jobs through job cuts, attrition, and early retirements, from its peak of 367,772 employees in March 2024, to 330,000 by 2028-29. There were 357,965 federal employees as of March 31, 2025.

Several departments, including Shared Services Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada, have said the workforce adjustment process will begin in January.

PSAC said 74 of its members at the Department of Finance received notices that their positions may be affected by the comprehensive expenditure review.

According to the unions, 157 members at the Public Service Commission of Canada, 94 employees at Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada and 19 employees at the Privy Council Office received affected notices.

Earlier this month, the government issued early retirement notices to approximately 68,000 public servants outlining information on the planned early retirement program.