Justice Department to cut up to 264 jobs amid budget shortfall

The Canadian Department of Justice has notified up to 264 employees of possible layoffs as part of a workforce optimization program. The reason is serious budget pressures, said Ian MacLeod, a spokesman for the department.

The department has been trying to reduce costs for a year, limiting hiring, reviewing its organizational structure, and assessing operational needs. But these measures have not been enough.

This is part of a broader strategy by the federal government, which in 2024 announced plans to cut 5,000 jobs over four years to save $15.8 billion.

The federal service’s workforce fell by almost 10,000 in the last financial year, the first since 2015. It now employs about 358,000 people.

While Premier Mark Carney has promised to freeze, rather than cut, the government's growth, the parliamentary budget officer said deep cuts would still be needed to meet new funding commitments.

It was not specified how many of the layoffs affected Ottawa and the National Capital Region.