Federal wildfire response centre lost half its staff under budget cuts
About 50 positions eliminated at the Government Operations Centre, which coordinates emergency response across Canada, as the Carney government pursues $60 billion in savings.
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The federal Government Operations Centre has lost about 50 positions—nearly half its workforce—under the Carney government's plan to reduce the public service, the Public Service Alliance of Canada says.
The centre, established in 2004, is responsible for coordinating Canada's emergency response to all-hazard events of national interest. It currently maintains a Level 3 response to the wildfire season, working with regional offices to address requests for federal assistance. The cuts came through workforce adjustment letters issued in January as part of the "comprehensive expenditure review"—a plan to find $60 billion in savings over five years from departmental budgets.
SPAC national president Sharon DeSousa said in a statement: "Gutting it by almost half puts people across the country at risk, including frontline workers who are battling wildfires, supporting evacuations, and risking their lives." Most affected employees have either found positions elsewhere or been terminated; only some remain actively working at the centre.
Even before the cuts, the operations centre faced resource challenges. An internal memo obtained by the Canadian Press in 2024 found that budget and staff constraints had left employees exhausted and sapped morale. The centre had been in a structural deficit for nearly a decade.
On July 19, Prime Minister Mark Carney posted photos from a visit to the newly renovated facility, highlighting government efforts to manage "one of the most intense wildfire seasons in Canadian history." Last November, a state-of-the-art facility was opened to house the centre. In May, the federal government leased 10 firefighting aircraft—including air tankers, heavy lift helicopters, and a birddog plane—to support provincial and territorial wildfire agencies, with $316.7 million invested over five years to establish a new national aerial firefighting surge capacity.
By the numbers
How many positions were eliminated at the Government Operations Centre?
About 50 positions were cut at the Government Operations Centre, representing nearly half its workforce.
What is the Government Operations Centre responsible for?
The Government Operations Centre, established in 2004, coordinates Canada's emergency response to all-hazard events of national interest.
When were the workforce adjustment letters issued?
Workforce adjustment letters were issued in January as part of the government's comprehensive expenditure review plan to find $60 billion in savings over five years.
