Canada’s federal government in Ottawa is planning to eliminate 5,000 public service jobs, a move that it says will save $4.2 billion over five years.
The Treasury Board has said that the job cuts will occur across all government ministries and agencies. However, the goal is to eliminate the jobs through natural attrition.
The union representing federal workers has raised concerns about the proposed job cuts.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) said in a news release that more public sector workers are needed, not less, as Canada’s population grows.
The federal public service currently employs 357,247 people across Canada, not including the military or RCMP, according to government data.
The Treasury Board said that the federal government is looking for ways to save money, reduce red tape, and ensure that taxpayer dollars go towards government priorities.
The public service job cuts were outlined in the latest federal budget that was delivered on April 16 of this year.
