Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will reportedly reduce its workforce by approximately 665 positions, effective today (Jan. 22, 2026).
A letter from Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lawrence Hanson to AAFC staff posted on Reddit stated the department has finalized a review following decisions in the 2025 budget.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s mandate letter also listed “spending less on government operations” as one of its seven priorities.
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Employees affected by the cuts will be formally notified today.
“I want to emphasize that none of these difficult decisions were taken lightly,” said Hanson via the letter. “They have been guided by the need to ensure spending is sustainable and activities reflect the Department’s core mandate.”
According to the government of Canada, AAFC employed 5,690 people as of March 2025.
AAFC’s 2025-26 departmental plan shows an expected decrease in full-time equivalents in the 2026-27 crop year, which it says “reflects a reduction in support for the Agricultural Clean Technology Program and for the Youth Employment and Skills Program and reflects attrition and vacancy management under the refocusing government spending exercise.”
