Union says research set back decades due to job cuts at federal agriculture centres

Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Headquarters in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — The union representing workers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is firing back at Ottawa over abrupt job cuts.

The Agriculture Union says the decision will set back by decades research on agriculture and food products.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced it is closing seven of its research operations to reduce the size of the public service.

The union says this round of cuts affect roughly 500 members and says the cuts come despite years of reduced staffing.

The department says 665 department positions have been reduced and close to 1,050 employees received notices.

Research centres in Guelph, Ont., Quebec City and Lacombe, Alta., along with four satellite research farms across Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are closing.