The federal government’s mandate to cut spending by 15 per cent over the next three years will not leave Canadian Nuclear Laboratories untouched.
While it is too soon to say whether that means job cuts at the Chalk River labs, CNL says it expects lower program spending “will affect, in some capacity, all of our current plans and missions.”
“To be fully candid and transparent, this is a very significant spending reduction request,” the company said in a message to employees.
“While we await more clarity surrounding the details of this review, AECL and CNL have already started working together to respond.
“We know that you, the CNL workforce, will play a critical role in helping us successfully meet this challenge.”
Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne directed his cabinet colleagues earlier this month to find ways to cut spending by billions of dollars as he prepares to present his first budget in October.
Champagne’s goal is to reduce program spending by 7.5 per cent for the 2026-27 fiscal year, by 10 per cent the next year, and 15 per cent in 2028-29.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the “sweeping” cuts “look and feel like austerity and will hurt everyone in Canada who depends on vital public services.”
“Canada’s public service isn’t a piggy bank we can dip into whenever the government wants to fund new projects,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC national president.
“We’ve always been open to working with the government to find savings, but we need a government that is truly willing to work with workers and unions – not around them.”
In its message to employees, CNL said the goal of the federal spending review is “to ensure that federal spending is responsible, cost-effective and delivers results for Canadians”…
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