Canadian Layoff Tracker

The Carney government has implemented budget cuts affecting staff at Global Affairs Canada and Economic and Social Development Canada, with positions responsible for combatting forced labour imports being wound down. The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) has been left without a permanent leader for 10 months, raising concerns about potential staff reductions and organizational dismantling.

OpenText, a Waterloo-based technology company, has reportedly eliminated a significant number of jobs in March 2026 as part of what some employees describe as a recurring annual practice. The layoffs represent approximately 5% of the workforce and are characterized as part of a 'yearly spring cleaning' business optimization effort.

Bruyere hospital announced the elimination of 55 positions (46 personal support workers and 9 registered practical nurses) in response to a budget deficit. The layoffs have prompted over 100 health care workers to rally and urge the Ford government to stop cuts and fund hospital services.

Humber Polytechnic announced involuntary layoffs of faculty and support staff after a voluntary exit package failed to address the college's fiscal gap for 2026–27. The layoffs follow a federal cap on international students, which significantly impacted revenue at Ontario's largest college with 76,000 students.

Ontario hospitals have eliminated approximately 700 front-line nursing and health worker positions since January 2025, primarily as cost-cutting measures to address dire financial straits. More than 100 Ontario hospitals are forecasting year-end deficits despite facing a combined $1.8-billion working capital deficit.

Canada's largest hospital network, University Health Network (UHN), cut 28 registered nurse positions, primarily in a critical kidney care unit (hemodialysis unit). The Ontario Nurses Association warned that these cuts worsen staffing shortages, burnout, and patient safety risks in a province already facing the lowest number of registered nurses per capita in the country.

University of the Fraser Valley laid off 45 faculty and staff positions due to a $20 million deficit caused by a significant decline in international student enrollment. The layoffs included 6 teaching faculty reductions, 4 non-teaching faculty reductions, and 35 staff reductions, along with 3 involuntary workload reductions.

Keyano College in Fort McMurray is preparing for a second year of layoffs due to a projected 40 per cent drop in student enrolment, attributed to federal limits on international students. The college cut or merged 70 positions during the 2024-25 academic year and expects similar cuts in the 2026-27 academic year as enrolment is expected to drop from 2,500 to 1,500 full-time student equivalents.

Starbucks plans to close hundreds of stores across the US, Canada, and Europe. The company will lay off 900 nonretail employees as part of this restructuring.

Algoma Steel is laying off 300 employees beginning Monday, March 24, 2026. The layoffs are partially attributed to tariffs impacting the steelmaking operation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Federal departments and agencies plan to cut more than 12,000 full-time equivalent positions over the next three years as part of the Carney government's spending review. Specific cuts include 1,793 positions at Public Services and Procurement Canada, 900 jobs at Statistics Canada, and 942 at Health Canada, with additional reductions across multiple other federal agencies.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Arts Society shut down its offices and laid off all remaining staff in November 2025 under previous management. A newly installed board of directors is now attempting to revive the struggling organization, which has accumulated tens of thousands of dollars in debt.

JD Power rescinded summer internship offers for approximately 25 Western University students just weeks before they were scheduled to start in May 2026. The company cited the shifting engineering and software landscape driven by AI and automation as reasons for reducing demand for entry-level roles.

The article discusses ongoing labour negotiations between the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Treasury Board for the TC (Translation) group. More than 13,000 PSAC members have received notices that they could lose their jobs due to restructuring and workforce reductions across the federal public service.

Tree Island Steel, a Richmond, British Columbia-based wire and fabricated wire products manufacturer, implemented a 27% workforce reduction in response to a sharp revenue decline in 2025. The downturn was driven by lower U.S. volumes amid expanded U.S. tariffs, resulting in full-year sales falling to $161.8 million from $207.0 million and a net loss of $5.3 million.

Providence University College and Theological Seminary is laying off 10 per cent of its workforce and downsizing academic programming due to losing 90 per cent of its international student body. The faith-based institution's revenue has dropped from $26 million to a projected $13.5 million as a result of federal restrictions on international student study permits.

The Bureau of Pension Advocates, a Veterans Affairs bureau that provides free legal advice to veterans and RCMP members denied disability benefits, is eliminating almost 100 temporary positions including 24 lawyers. This represents a 44 per cent workforce reduction that unions and MPs warn could negatively impact services for veterans.

The Mi'kmaw Native Friendship Centre will experience staff layoffs and reduced capacity due to Nova Scotia provincial budget cuts that did not restore funding to youth outreach, family resource, and after-school programs. The centre's critical preventative supports for Indigenous youth and families, including justice system navigation and domestic violence prevention services, remain at risk following the partial reversal of the provincial government's controversial budget cuts.

Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia laid off 31 unionized and non-unionized staff members in administrative and service roles due to financial pressures including enrolment shifts, funding constraints, and rising operating costs. The layoffs affected positions including Wong International Centre staff, health promotions staff, and student counsellors, but did not impact academic and teaching positions.

North Island College is cutting teaching and administrative positions, affecting approximately 10 full-time equivalent jobs, due to an $8.4 million decline in international revenue by 2027 caused by federal immigration policy changes. The college is also suspending 15 programs and reviewing offerings with lower enrolment to address significant financial challenges.