Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is undergoing a significant workforce adjustment, with 70 indeterminate positions being eliminated. This follows earlier measures, including the termination of 90 fixed-term contracts on 31 March. The news, announced via internal email, affects all sectors of the organization.
These reductions are part of a broader trend across the federal government, with other departments such as the Public Health Agency, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Justice, and the Canada Revenue Agency also announcing workforce adjustments. This is the first round of cuts for LAC, stemming from the 2023 budget. Further adjustments are expected as part of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review, which was launched in July 2025.
The 70 cuts represent 6.5 percent of LAC’s total workforce of 1,137 in 2025. LAC’s core public administration staffing in 2025 is at its highest point in a decade, according to Treasury Board data.
The organization chart lists 53 people in senior positions, from Directors to Deputy Minister, which accounts for 4.7 percent of the total workforce. Applying a statistical analysis to these numbers, if cuts were applied evenly across all positions, there would be a 97 percent chance that at least one of the 53 senior positions would be eliminated. For the top 13 positions, from Director General and above, there is a 56% chance that one or more will be cut.
The federal public service, particularly professions like librarians and archivists, tends to have an older demographic with many employees nearing retirement age. This has led to speculation that this cohort may absorb a larger portion of the reductions, with concomitant loss of corporate memory.
These reductions will likely impact LAC’s operations and services, such as addressing the ATiP backlog and opening Adisoke.
Cutting brains to fund arms. Alas.
I was at the Archives for almost 30 years. And yes, they were the good old days, when money went to acquisitions, public service requests had a 2-WEEK turnaround limit, and when archivists were trusted to do their job without onerous oversight. When the Archive and the Library merged, the two institutions had a total of 11 EX positions (5&6). Within a short time, there were 33, and hiring of working level archivists stalled. Maybe this is an opportunity to make the administration leaner so working level staff can get on with the real work of LAC, including public service and ATIP requests.