Ottawa (PSAC Media release) – The growing list of workers affected by the federal government’s sweeping cuts to public services now includes those helping to keep borders secure, and those supporting veterans and their families.
More than 400 members of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and the Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) at the Canada Border Services Agency received notices last week that they could lose their jobs. At the same time, members of PSAC and the Union of Veterans’ Affairs Employees (UVAE) working at the Bureau of Pension Advocates are facing a 44 per cent reduction in staff.
Together, these decisions send a clear message that no service — and no worker — is safe from this government’s reckless cuts to federal programs.
“Prime Minister Carney is using the same old playbook that Chrétien and Harper did, and we’re going to get the same bad results,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC national president. “This government needs to stop recycling failed austerity measures and start investing in the public services people in Canada rely on every day.”
The cuts are part of the federal government’s plan to slash critical public services and eliminate 30,000 more federal public service jobs over the next three years. More than 13,000 PSAC members have already received notices that they could lose their jobs.
Border services on the chopping block
PSAC-CIU members at the Canada Border Services Agency play a critical role in border security, trade enforcement, and public safety. Yet 445 members received workforce adjustment notices as part of $208 million in planned cuts at the agency.
“It is disconcerting to see the federal government reduce the public service at a time when people in Canada need the services our members provide more than ever,” said Mark Weber, CIU national president. “The decision to eliminate crucial knowledge and expertise will only serve to make Canada less safe.”
These notices are being distributed at a time of increasing pressure on border operations. Cutting frontline capacity and expertise will weaken Canada’s ability to respond to emerging risks and ensure the smooth movement of people and goods.
Cutting veterans’ services while backlogs grow
Cuts at the Bureau of Pension Advocates within Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) will shrink its workforce by 44 per cent — from 226 employees to 130 — through the elimination of 72 term positions and 24 contract lawyers. The bureau provides free legal advice, assistance, and representation to veterans, RCMP members, and their families.
“Veterans and their families depend on timely, professional support and should not be forced to fight for the benefits they have earned,” said Toufic El-Daher, UVAE national president. “Fewer staff means longer waits and unnecessary hardship for those who have already given so much.”
With 27,000 claims already in the backlog and another 25,000 expected in 2026, cutting legal and support staff by nearly half will inevitably create further delays and barriers — potentially tripling the existing one-year wait time.
These cuts come despite VAC identifying $4.4 billion in long-term savings by lowering the reimbursement rate for medical cannabis for veterans and RCMP members. Those savings are coming directly from veterans themselves, many of whom may now face higher out-of-pocket costs for medical cannabis prescribed to manage PTSD, chronic pain, and other service-related injuries. There is no need for these cuts, yet the department is moving forward anyway — leaving veterans to shoulder the burden twice.
PSAC and UVAE are calling for stable, permanent funding for the Bureau of Pension Advocates to ensure continuity of service. Veterans deserve timely, high-quality support, and that depends on stable staffing and long-term investment.
Cuts to workers mean cuts to services
The government has framed these cuts as responsible fiscal management, but the reality is simple: cutting public service jobs means cutting public services.
Whether it’s veterans waiting longer for benefits, families relying on timely border processing, or communities depending on public safety enforcement, the impact will be felt far beyond federal workplaces.
PSAC will continue to fight these reckless and damaging cuts and defend the public services people rely on every day.
