‘Workforce adjustment notices’ reach Health Canada as thousands of federal workers’ jobs are at risk

Layoffs may be looming for thousands of workers across Canada’s federal public service who have received notices warning that their jobs may be at risk. The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said on January 16 that 1,775 “workforce adjustment notices” were issued to its members last week alone. Most recently, on January 19, Health Canada employees also received a departmental note, seen by CBC News, informing staff that workforce adjustments were underway. The department said it would be making changes that include “reductions to our indeterminate workforce.”


According to Ottawa CityNews, citing the union, 2,273 members have received such notices since the federal budget was released in November last year. PSAC also said 4,610 members have received workforce adjustment notices since January 2025, not including thousands of term employees whose contracts were ended early or not renewed.


Ottawa CityNews also cited the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and reported that 1,849 of its members were served a workforce adjustment notice earlier. “We are hearing directly from members that consultants are still working alongside employees who received layoff notices this week,” the outlet quoted PIPSC president Sean O’Reilly.

Federal departments affected by workforce adjustment notices

PSAC said its members impacted by the notices do federal government process work across several departments and agencies, including Public Services and Procurement Canada, Shared Services Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Treasury Board Secretariat.

CBC News has confirmed that thousands of federal employees have received notices indicating their positions could be in jeopardy, as the government moves forward with a plan announced in November’s budget to shrink the size of the public service.

While not everyone who receives a “workforce adjustment notice” will ultimately lose their job, it is important to note that many employees will see their roles change significantly, CBC notes.

Budget plan targets public service reductions

The November 4 budget introduced a plan to reduce the size of the federal public service by approximately 30,000 positions over five years, in addition to a recent reduction of about 10,000 jobs, according to The Globe and Mail. The size of the core public service peaked at 367,772 employees in 2024 before declining to 357,965 last year, the report noted.

Breakdown of PSAC members affected by layoff notice

Job cuts affecting PSAC members across the federal public service include:

• Public Services and Procurement Canada (730): Responsible for procurement, real estate, and administrative services. Cuts could delay contracts, maintenance, and the procurement of goods and services.
• Shared Services Canada (530): Provides IT infrastructure and cybersecurity services. Cuts could threaten cybersecurity and slow digital service delivery and system maintenance.
• Statistics Canada (350): Produces key economic, population, and social data. Cuts could delay data releases or limit the scope of statistics gathered.
• Treasury Board Secretariat (125): Oversees government operations and administration. Cuts could affect program operations and internal governance.

Additional impacts reported this week include the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (25), Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (11), and Pacific Economic Development Canada (2).

More federal workers expected to be affected by layoff notices

The figures released so far reflect only PSAC members. Other federal workers are also affected, and their respective unions have been notified, said the union. With more layoff notices federal government employees are expected to receive in the coming weeks, the federal government has not yet disclosed which specific positions will be eliminated or how the reductions will affect individual programs and services.