US EditionAgriculture and Agri-Food Canada Announces Closure of Research Operations, Jobs Cuts
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada cuts 665 jobs and closes seven sites to meet federal spending reduction targets amid a planned public service downsizing.
- On Jan. 24, 2026, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced it is closing seven research operations including Guelph, Quebec City, Lacombe, and four satellite farms, cutting approximately 665 positions and notifying nearly 1,050 employees.
- The department said the cuts stem from identification of savings over three years while Ottawa aims to return the public service to a sustainable level, cutting about 40,000 jobs.
- Lacombe County said it was deeply disappointed by the `sudden` decision, noting more than 100 centre employees and their families plus industry partners are affected, and the research legacy cannot be easily replicated.
- AAFC warned the wind-down could take up to a year and said it is too early to determine final workforce impacts, while the Public Service Alliance of Canada said more than 5,000 members received notices.
- Closures threaten long-term agricultural research supporting livestock and meat processing , while unions report nearly 10,000 federal public servants receiving notices amid cuts.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announces closure of research operations, jobs cuts
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Lacombe agricultural research station to shut down - Farm Press Media
The Lacombe Research and Development Centre will be shut down. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) will eliminate 665 jobs across the country in 2026. Notices to the 1043 affected employees were issued on Jan. 22. “Like other federal departments, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has identified savings over three years while remaining focused on its core mandate,” the AAFC wrote in a statement on Friday, Jan. 23. This comes after AAFC senior …
Agriculture Research Facilities Shut Down, Jobs Slashed Following AAFC Cuts
Ottawa, Ontario (Rural Roots Canada) – Several agricultural research facilities have been shut down, and hundreds of jobs have been slashed following budget cuts at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). A letter posted on Reddit from Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence Hanson to AAFC staff says some 665 jobs will be eliminated nationally. The letter says the cuts “will be achieved through attrition and workforce adjustment/c…
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