Experts monitoring Canada’s environmental health and safeguarding against extreme weather events and industrial disasters face potential job cuts by the federal government.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration is actively downsizing the public service, with thousands of positions at risk, including 840 roles at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC).
Concerns are raised by scientists and labor representatives over the possible adverse effects of these cuts on public safety, environmental protection, and wildlife in Canada.
Retired ECCC scientist Christine Bishop emphasized the importance of the research conducted by Canadian scientists and urged the government to explore alternative avenues for cost reduction.
âCanadians should be very concernedâ
In Carney’s recent budget announcement, plans were disclosed to reduce the federal workforce by 16,000 full-time equivalent positions over three years, with ECCC set to trim around 10% of its staff, equating to 840 full-time roles.
Despite the downsizing, the department remains committed to its environmental protection goals, according to department spokesperson Samantha Bayard.
Sean O’Reilly, president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), expressed doubts about maintaining the department’s effectiveness with such significant job reductions.
PIPSC, representing public servants facing potential layoffs, is concerned not only for its members but also for the safety and well-being of Canadians.
O’Reilly stressed the vital role of public science in preventing public risks and highlighted the potential consequences of cutting essential scientific research programs.
The announcement of job cuts within ECCC’s Science and Technology Branch prompted concerns about the impact on critical research areas and essential services to the public.
While details of the areas to be affected remain unclear, the importance of the work done by ECCC staff, particularly in weather-related alerts and disaster prevention, was underscored.
Sean O’Reilly pointed out historical instances where inadequate public service investment led to severe consequences, such as the Lac Megantic rail disaster and Canada’s slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The potential implications on weather forecasting and alert systems due to the cuts were not addressed by ECCC.
