Federal departments will begin notifying public servants of possible job cuts in January

Several federal departments will begin notifying public servants of workforce adjustments impacts in January. CTV’s Katie Griffin reports.

Several federal departments will begin notifying public servants in January if their jobs may be impacted by workforce adjustments, as the federal government begins the process of cutting 28,000 jobs and finding $60 billion in savings over the next four years.

Natural Resources Canada says 700 employees received letters this month to “inform them that their position will or may be impacted,” while federal unions say employees at four other federal departments have received notices.

Shared Services Canada, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, Global Affairs Canada and Statistics Canada tell CTV News Ottawa employees will be notified in January if their positions may be affected by the comprehensive expenditure review.

CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what you need to know about the comprehensive expenditure review and when notices may be issued to public servants.

Public service cuts

The 2025 federal budget, tabled on Nov. 5, outlined a plan to cut another 28,000 jobs from the federal public service and achieve $60 billion in savings by 2029.

The Liberal government wants to reduce the size of the federal public service by 40,000 jobs 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.

As part of the comprehensive expenditure review, the government will reduce 16,000 full-time equivalent positions, including 650 executive positions, while another 12,000 positions, including 350 executive positions, will be eliminated through attrition and early retirement packages.

The government said the positions would be eliminated through job cuts, attrition, and early retirements.

The 2025 federal budget outlined funding reductions for all federal departments.

Notices issued

Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) says 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 to CTV News Ottawa on Tuesday.

For some employees in the department like Kathees Anandavel, the cuts mean the year is ending with uncertainty.

“I have to compete against essentially my teammates… for the number of positions that are left,” Anandavel said. “It’s not great, obviously…we’re all qualified. That’s why we’re in these jobs. So that’s going to be kind of difficult to see how that process will go out and I don’t think there’s a lot of clarity on how some of that stuff will happen yet.”

For others, the announced cuts mean an early retirement.

“I’m already qualified right now so there’s not really much savings or incentives,” public servant Jacques Pinard told CTV News. “It’s just that I think I’m planning to maybe give my position to another that needs it.”

The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) 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.

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

“Just imagine you’re trying to have a good holiday season and buying gifts for your family and you just don’t know, should you be buying those gifts?” PSAC National President Sharon DeSousa told CTV News.  

“They don’t know whether or not they’ll have a job in the new year. It’s really impacting our members.”

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 in December.

The Canadian Association of Professional Employees said its members at Natural Resources Canada, the Department of Finance and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada received notices their jobs may be affected by workforce adjustments but didn’t say how many employees were notified.

“As far as we know, that will be it for 2025. Some other departments have floated that there will be news coming in January, but we don’t have any insights into what those could be, or if CAPE members will be part of that, yet,” CAPE said in a statement on Tuesday.

Notices to be issued in January

Employees at some of the largest federal departments will be notified in January if their positions could be impacted by workforce adjustments.

CTV News Ottawa reached out to several federal departments for information on when employees may be notified if their positions will be impacted by the comprehensive expenditure review.

Public Services and Procurement Canada

“On December 9, all Public Services and Procurement Canada employees received an email confirming details on Budget 2025 and the Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER) and informing them that those with positions that are affected will receive a formal notice in January 2026,” the department said.

“Where there are impacts on work units or positions in our organization, our goal is to minimize the impacts on our employees. We will use all the tools at our disposal, including attrition and the existing workforce adjustment provisions that have been co-developed or negotiated with the bargaining agents.”

Shared Services Canada

In a memo to employees on Dec. 3, Shared Services Canada said employees, “impacted by workforce adjustments will be notified in January 2026.”

“As we move forward to implement SSC’s CER reductions, there will be impacts on work units and positions within our organization. Our top priority is to reduce the impacts on employees by using all available options, including attrition, negotiated workforce adjustment provisions and career transition measures for executives,” the letter said, provided to CTV News Ottawa by the department.

Employment and Social Development Canada

Employment and Social Development Canada said a “workforce adjustment process and a reduction in our executive complement will launch in January 2026 to achieve our targets by the end of 2028-29.

“While we are still reviewing the impacts of the government’s decisions on ESDC’s programs and services, we acknowledge that an adjustment in our staffing levels, including indeterminate positions, will be required. We cannot confirm how many positions will be reduced at this time. However, ESDC will continue to leverage attrition and workforce planning, aiming to minimize impacts on employees to the maximum possible extent.”

Environment and Climate Change Canada

“Environment and Climate Change Canada will move ahead with the implementation of Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER) decisions in mid-January. Employees whose positions may be impacted will be notified at that time in accordance with workforce adjustment and career transition provisions,” a department spokesperson said in a statement to CTV News Ottawa.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

“On December 8, 2025, Fisheries and Ocean Canada employees were notified in a message to all staff that the Department will move ahead with the implementation of Comprehensive Expenditure Review decisions in mid-January 2026,” the department said.

Global Affairs Canada

“Global Affairs Canada (GAC) has confirmed to its employees and relevant union representatives its plan to notify those whose positions may be affected by the CER starting in the period of January 12 to 31,” a Global Affairs spokesperson told CTV News Ottawa.

“GAC is committed to remaining as open and transparent as possible with our staff, including by sharing new information as it becomes available.”

Statistics Canada

“Statistics Canada is still assessing the scope of the approved reduction targets and the measures required to achieve them. This analysis is ongoing, and employees can expect further communication on our next steps in January,” the department said.

Correctional Services Canada

“Given that the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is one of the larger agencies within the Government of Canada, both in terms of size and the complexity of our mandate, we are taking the time necessary to finalize our plans,” the department said.

“As part of this, we are regularly meeting with central agencies and union partners. We expect to share further information about the expected impacts on our workforce in the new year.”

Canada Revenue Agency

“The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has not issued an update to employees on Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER) since the Budget on November 4. The CRA is continuing to assess the implications of the Budget 2025 and CER on its operations and workforce. We remain committed to transparent and timely communication with employees,” the department said.

In May, the Canada Revenue Agency cut up to 280 employees.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

“At this time, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has not sent a letter or informed employees about how spending reductions will be implemented following the Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER). Further information will be provided to employees as soon as it becomes available,” the department said.

Health Canada

“Health Canada has not announced workforce adjustment. The Department is still reviewing the savings targets identified in the Budget.”

Early retirement notices

Approximately 68,000 federal public servants received early-retirement notices in early December.

“As proposed in Budget 2025, workforce reductions will be managed to the greatest extent possible through attrition and voluntary departures,” a spokesperson for Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali said. “The Early Retirement Initiative is proceeding with an emphasis on voluntary, structured options to retire early with clarity and predictability.”

The letter said further details about the program’s requirements and timelines will be released at a later date.

With files from CTV’s Katie Griffin.