Environment Canada will be axing 60 employees this week as part of some massive cutbacks being implemented by the federal government. While the department is not allowed to reveal exactly which jobs are being declared surplus, Gary Corbett, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), the union representing some of the workers, said that they broadly incorporate senior engineers, environmental compliance officers, biologists, climatologists and other public servants responsible for everything from reporting on pollution to researching climate issues.

And the bad news keeps on coming: according to a press release issued by the PIPSC, these surplus notices will not count towards the mandated five to 10 percent budget cutbacks required of Environment Canada by the federal government. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty also noted that some federal departments, which could include EC, may face even bigger budget cuts than previously suggested.

Last August, Environment Canada told the unions that it would be cutting or reassigning some 776 jobs, which is roughly 10 percent of the department’s workforce. At least 300 of these workers will lose their jobs, while the rest may be moved to different positions. Those who are let go will receive either a cash payout, an education allowance, or they can take a spot on the government’s priority list in the hopes of landing a different public service job.

Tags: environment canada job cuts, job cuts environment

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