More than 450 Canada Revenue Agency employees warned jobs may be affected across Canada

More than 450 employees at Canada Revenue Agency have received notices warning that their positions may be affected as the federal government moves ahead with spending reductions across several tax related programs in Canada.

Union representatives say 284 members of Public Service Alliance of Canada received affected notices, while another 195 members represented by Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada were informed that their jobs may face workforce adjustment.

According to labour organizations, the affected employees work both at headquarters in Ottawa and in regional offices across the country.

The changes are linked to the planned reduction or elimination of several federal taxation programs.

These include the digital services tax, federal fuel charge, carbon rebate programs for individuals and businesses, underused housing tax, and the luxury tax applied to aircraft and vessels.

Union officials say the government had already signalled that program restructuring would affect staffing levels, but the formal notices have now increased concern among employees.

The agency’s latest departmental planning documents show that 1.2 billion dollars in spending reductions are expected over three years.

Federal planners say the cuts will be achieved through administrative modernization and the closure of units no longer tied to current policy priorities.

According to workforce projections, CRA staffing is expected to fall from more than 53,000 employees to below 49,500 within the next fiscal cycle, with further reductions expected afterward.

Marc Briere said the notices are creating uncertainty and stress among workers directly affected.

Labour representatives argue that reducing tax enforcement staff could weaken the government’s ability to recover public revenue.

Sean O’Reilly warned that cutting tax professionals may ultimately reduce the state’s ability to ensure proper compliance.

Officials within the agency say some reductions are linked to the natural expiry of funding attached to earlier federal budget measures.

The workforce adjustment process does not automatically mean immediate layoffs, but affected employees may face reassignment, relocation, or eventual job loss depending on departmental decisions.

The situation reflects broader federal efforts to reduce administrative costs while reshaping tax priorities under changing economic policies.

Courtesy: CTV News