Toronto, December 13, 2025 — The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) concluded its national AGM today. This event marked President Sean O’Reilly’s first year in office, and charted a focused path forward as federal public services face deep cuts, accelerating outsourcing, and rapid technological change.

Over 800 delegates, stewards and board members from across the country gathered to assess the year’s progress and set priorities for the months ahead. O’Reilly highlighted that, over the past year, PIPSC has invested in steward training and digital modernization, thereby creating a stronger foundation for the challenges ahead.

“This AGM marks a turning point,” said PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly. “We’ve rebuilt our internal strength, we’ve shown governments that we are a serious, solutions-focused voice, and we’re ready for the difficult period ahead. Our members deliver the critical services Canadians rely on every day, and we will defend that work with clarity, determination and unity.”

A major theme of the AGM was the union’s response to the federal government’s newly signaled cuts to the public service. PIPSC emphasized the real risks these cuts pose to Canadians, from slower inspections to weaker emergency response to delays in scientific and regulatory work. These decisions are not just reducing headcount; they’re weakening the systems that keep this country functioning. At the same time, new return to office (RTO) mandates are adding instability and stress.

Delegates reflected on the national Lobby Week that saw members meet MPs across the country to raise concerns about cuts, outsourcing, and workforce adjustment (WFA) pressures.The AGM also showcased PIPSC’s leadership on federal science and artificial intelligence. The union’s recent Science Roadmap report revealed significant strain in labs and research programs across government, while PIPSC continued pushing for responsible, evidence-based AI adoption that supports rather than replaces professional expertise.

PIPSC celebrated important member-driven wins this year, including the successful CRPEG strike — the union’s first in more than 30 years — and membership growth in specialized groups, such as Crown Counsel in Newfoundland and Labrador.

As the AGM closed, PIPSC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening public service capacity, protecting evidence-based decision-making and advocating for the resources professionals need to serve Canadians effectively.

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.

Ottawa, December 8, 2025 — Reacting to news today shared by Prime Minister Carney that a new return to office mandate is coming in the next few weeks, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is calling on the federal government to ground any Return to Office (RTO) decisions in evidence, service outcomes, and operational reality.

“Canadians want results, not roll calls,” said PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly. “When the government makes policies about optics instead of outcomes, it risks slowing service delivery, draining talent, and making it harder to recruit the next generation of professionals.”

“We’ve been clear for years: RTO must be about 'presence with purpose,’” continued O’Reilly. “Where in-person work improves innovation, training, or service delivery, that’s great. But forcing people back just to be seen and to sit in on video calls from another location is not leadership. It’s theatre.”

As unions return to the bargaining table, the timing of the Prime Minister’s comments raises questions that underscore the need for evidence, transparency and collaboration.

“The government has consistently told unions that RTO was not being considered, and its most recent budget made no reference,” said O’Reilly. “We can all agree that no one wants a repeat of past RTO Directives, which were announced without consultation and caused widespread disruption, confusion, and unnecessary strain on labour-management relations.”

PIPSC wrote to the government as recently as last week to reiterate the union’s clear expectations.

“RTO is not a workforce strategy. You can’t modernize government with a 20th-century workplace model.”

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public sector professionals across the country, with the majority employed by the federal government.

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For more information or a copy of the letter PIPSC sent to TBS please contact : Brittany Smith (416) 841-4325, smithb@pipsc.ca.

By Sean O’Reilly, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) 

“The federal government’s decision to cut critical research programs and scientific positions at Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) poses serious and avoidable risks to safety and security across the country.

Canada’s geography, natural resources, and climate vulnerabilities demand world-class science. Yet almost entire teams responsible for keeping Canadians safe are being eliminated – the vast majority not through attrition, not voluntarily, but via layoffs.

These are highly dedicated public service professionals whose forecasting and analysis play a critical role in ensuring Canadians are not put in harm’s way. Eliminating them makes Canadians less safe.”

Here’s just a snapshot of what’s at stake:

• These cuts decimate capacity at the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation and Remote Sensing. This threatens our capacity to track wildfires, floods, landslides, and other geohazards, and to monitor the size and threats to freshwater resources. These scientists provide the data that emergency responders and governments depend on to protect communities from disaster and to support responsible resource development.
   
• The cuts also undermine our Arctic sovereignty. Accurate geoscience, mapping, and monitoring of Canada’s vast northern landmass are essential for asserting territorial rights, protecting northern infrastructure, and ensuring responsible resource activity. Reducing this capacity leaves Canada less able to defend its interests as other nations increase theirs.
   
• Canada has already lost almost its entire capacity to detect and fight deadly forest diseases. Thirty years ago, we had 16 forest pathologists. If these cuts proceed, we’ll have just four left, and only one left to monitor the entire forestry system east of the Rockies. We’ve already seen the cost of looking away: Dutch elm disease wiped out millions of elm trees across North America. The Emerald Ash Borer is wiping out ash trees now. Without pathologists monitoring forests, dangerous pests and diseases will spread unchecked.

“We want to be clear. These cuts are not abstract. They do not just trim budgets on a spreadsheet; they increase risk. They are positions and programs that directly support disaster prevention, scientific monitoring, resource development, environmental protection, and arctic sovereignty.

At a time when Canada is facing increased threats, significant economic challenges, and big promises over resource projects, these programs are critical, not optional.

We urge the federal government to reconsider these cuts immediately. Canada’s safety, security, and scientific leadership depend on it.”

Ottawa, November 4, 2025  – The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) warns that today’s federal budget cuts, which aim to cut upwards of 40,000 public sector jobs, go far beyond “efficiency” and will hit critical services Canadians count on every day. 

Canadians want their government to spend wisely, and public service professionals agree. But when you eliminate the people who inspect food, deliver benefits, protect data, and track wildfires, you’re not cutting waste – you’re increasing risk.

“Canadians expect efficiency, not erosion,” said Sean O’Reilly, President of PIPSC. “Behind every cut is a service delay, a slower emergency response, or a system that’s one failure away from crisis. These cuts don’t make us leaner –  they make us more fragile.”

Public service professionals are the experts who protect our data, manage emergencies, track disease outbreaks, and maintain the systems Canadians rarely see but rely on every day. Reducing their capacity doesn’t just shrink government – it erodes Canada’s resilience.

“We share the goal of a more effective, innovative public service. But you can’t do more with less. True efficiency means smarter investment, not defunding services,” continued O’Reilly.

At the same time, the government continues to pour record amounts into outsourcing work to private consultants: $26 billion projected for this year alone, the highest on record according to its own main estimates. While the budget makes a vague commitment to a modest reduction in outsourcing, PIPSC notes that similar promises have come and gone without real results. It’s an approach that still doesn’t add up.

“It’s not efficient to replace experienced public servants with expensive consultants who cost 25% more than a public service professional,” said O’Reilly. “If the goal is savings, start with the billions going to private firms – not the food safety inspector or public health scientist.”

Public service professionals understand where the real inefficiencies lie – poor planning, outdated systems, a lack of trust and consultation with public service experts, and an overreliance on wasteful outsourcing.

“Empower public servants to modernize from within,” O’Reilly concluded. “Let the professionals lead. That’s how you get real efficiency — without slashing services Canadians rely on.”

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile)

OTTAWA, October 20, 2025 — A new report released today by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), the union representing the scientists, researchers and engineers working for the federal government, highlights significant warning signs in Canada’s federal public science system – and urges renewed investment to ensure long-term resilience, not more cuts.

A Science Roadmap for Canada’s Future: Lessons from a Decade of Federal Scientists’ Voices, draws on 12 years of data from thousands of federal scientists and reveals a sector losing funding, capacity, and confidence – just when Canadians need it most.

“Federal science plays a quiet but essential role in everything from food safety to water quality to environmental monitoring to public health,” said PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly. “This report is a clear warning: our federal scientific capacity is fragile, already under pressure, and can’t take another hit.” 

Among the report’s findings:

• Just 6.5% believe their department has adequate research funding
• Confidence in evidence-based policy has declined to 44%
• 36% of federal laboratories and science facilities are in poor or critical condition
• Interference (requests to alter or omit findings for non-scientific reasons) is on the rise

PIPSC warns that early gains in science integrity and transparency made in the aftermath of a decade of muzzling and mismanagement, are now stalling or reversing. At the same time, the government is floating plans for sweeping public service cuts, threatening what little resilience remains in Canada’s scientific infrastructure. PIPSC is urging the government to reflect carefully.

“Cuts mean consequences that won’t just be felt in labs – they’ll be felt in communities,” continued O’Reilly. “Defunding federal science means slower responses to wildfires, fewer food inspections, weaker disease monitoring, and delayed action on environmental threats. These cuts hit the systems Canadians rely on every day, often without even realizing it.”

The report outlines a 10-point plan focused on strengthening scientific integrity, rebuilding capacity, and ensuring transparency and accountability in how scientific evidence is used in policymaking.

“Fixing inefficiencies means tackling what’s really holding public science back — unstable funding, political interference, inconsistent priorities, costly outsourcing, and outdated infrastructure,” said O’Reilly. “Public science takes decades to build and seconds to cut. In a time of global instability, we should be strengthening the institutions that make Canada strong, safe, and independent — not weakening them.”

PIPSC is calling on the federal government to reverse course on public service cuts and commit to long-term, sustainable funding for federal science.

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile)

FREDERICTON, NB, September 19, 2025 — New Brunswick Crown Counsel (NBCC) Group—represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)— have ratified a five-year collective agreement that delivers pay parity with Crown Prosecutors and ends a compensation crisis that saw legal costs spiral out of control. The deal, retroactive to 2023 and running through 2028, will align NBCC with the salaries of crown counsel in other provinces and represents a major victory for government legal capacity.

"This deal validates what we've been saying all along – Crown Counsel deserve the same compensation as their prosecutor colleagues," said Eric Boucher, NBCC President. "The 95% strike support sent a clear message that our members were united and serious about achieving fairness. This agreement ensures New Brunswick can recruit and retain the legal expertise it needs."

The agreement secures three of the union's four key pay proposals, most notably achieving pay equity with the New Brunswick Crown Prosecutors Group – ending wage gaps that ranged from 29% at senior levels to 49% for junior lawyers despite identical qualifications and responsibilities.

The tentative agreement emerged following conciliation meetings in July, where the independent conciliator's report strongly favoured the union's position. The deal includes significant wage grid improvements and market adjustments that reflect the true value of Crown Counsel's specialized legal work.

"The conciliation process confirmed what we knew – our position was reasonable and necessary," said PIPSC President Sean O'Reilly. "This agreement demonstrates that when workers stand together with rock-solid solidarity, meaningful change is possible."

With the province's use of private law firms having doubled from $4.1 million in 2019-20 to $8.6 million in 2024-25, and the province paying up to $500 per hour for private legal services, retaining experienced Crown Counsel will generate substantial savings.

Crown Counsel provide legal advice to all departments and many crown corporations, defend against lawsuits, grievances and appear at arbitrations, ensure the government respects the law and the Constitution, negotiate and draft contracts, and draft all public laws and regulations.

"Without our members' unwavering commitment to fair compensation, this result would not have been possible," Boucher emphasized. "This agreement protects both our members and the public interest by ensuring the government has the legal capacity it needs."

The five-year agreement provides stability and predictability while positioning the Government of New Brunswick as a competitive employer for experienced legal professionals.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca

OTTAWA, September 4,  2025 — The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is sounding the alarm over federal government cuts at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).

Unofficial notification of a work force adjustment (WFA) at PHAC was sent to PIPSC on August 25. While those affected will not know their individual status until later in September, it is clear that critical public health expertise is being eliminated.

PHAC was established to enhance Canada’s ability to prevent and control outbreaks, manage infectious diseases, and protect the health of Canadians. The proposed cuts will affect staff across PHAC, including operations at the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg — Canada’s only facility of its kind and a recognized global leader in emergency preparedness. The lab’s vital work in research, diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, and containment plays a critical role in both national and international biosecurity. 

“Eliminating public health positions while Canada’s healthcare system is already stretched to the breaking point leaves Canada dangerously unprepared for the next health crisis and puts lives at risk,” said PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly. “These cuts will pile even more pressure onto the system, while stripping away vital programs that millions benefit from — from Lyme disease research and vaccination programs, to suicide crisis hotlines and chronic disease prevention.”

This work force adjustment is part of the federal government’s Budget Refocusing Exercise. Similar work force adjustments are being implemented across the federal public service to meet spending reduction targets. The government is also directing upwards of 15% public service spending cuts under its Comprehensive Expenditure Review. 

"These are cuts on top of cuts. Work force adjustments and public service cuts have become the government's go-to solution for meeting spending targets, but you can't cut your way to a stronger Canada,” said O’Reilly. “This is Harper-era austerity –– or worse –– dressed in a red tie.”

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca

CHALK RIVER, ON, July 11, 2025 — Members of the Chalk River Professional Employee Group (CRPEG)—represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)—have voted to ratify their tentative agreement with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), bringing their historic labour dispute to a successful conclusion.

The ratification vote concluded today at noon, with CRPEG's 800+ nuclear scientists and engineers voting to accept the agreement that includes hard-fought improvements over CNL's original offers.

"Our members have spoken, and they've chosen to accept an agreement that recognizes their professional value and the critical work they do for Canada," said CRPEG President Jonathan Fitzpatrick. "This victory demonstrates the power of standing together and fighting for what's right."

The ratified agreement includes improvements secured through the union's historic strike action:

• $2 million increase to company-wide benefits program, benefiting all CNL employees (the first in 25 years)
• $1,700 lump sum payment to every CRPEG member
• 10.5% salary increases over three years with improved distribution (4.0% in 2024, 4.0% in 2025, and 2.5% in 2026)

The five-day selective strike marked the first PIPSC strike action in over 30 years and demonstrated the critical importance of CRPEG members' work in ensuring nuclear reactor safety, managing radioactive waste, and conducting nuclear medicine research.

"This agreement shows what's possible when professional workers stand together," said PIPSC President Sean O'Reilly. "Despite facing aggressive tactics from CNL, our members stayed strong and secured gains that benefit not just CRPEG, but all workers at the facility."

CRPEG members will return to their vital work ensuring Canada's nuclear safety and security. Their expertise supports reactor operations, radioactive waste management, environmental remediation, and nuclear medicine research that serves Canadians across the country.

The agreement concludes a dispute that began when the previous collective agreement expired on December 31, 2023, following 18 months of negotiations.

PIPSC's unfair labour practice complaint regarding CNL's cancellation of vacation leave perceived by members as retaliation for opting to exercise their right to strike continues through the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca

CHALK RIVER, ON, July 2, 2025 — The Chalk River Professional Employee Group (CRPEG)—represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)—has reached a tentative agreement with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), bringing the historic labour dispute to a potential resolution.

The tentative agreement was reached Friday, June 27, at approximately 3:30 PM. Strike action has been suspended pending a ratification vote by CRPEG's 800+ nuclear scientists and engineers, tentatively scheduled for July 8, 2025. The CRPEG bargaining team will recommend ratification of the tentative agreement. 

"Our members stood together and showed the power of organized labour," said CRPEG President Jonathan Fitzpatrick. "This tentative agreement demonstrates what workers can achieve when they unite for fair treatment and recognition of their professional value."

The tentative agreement includes meaningful improvements over CNL's previous offers, including:

• $2 million one-time increase to the company-wide benefits program (up from $1.75 million), benefiting all CNL employees
• $1,700 lump sum payment to all CRPEG members
• 10.5% salary increases over three years with improved distribution (4.0% in 2024, 4.0% in 2025, and 2.5% in 2026)

The five-day selective strike marked the first PIPSC strike action in over 30 years and had a significant operational impact on CNL, affecting tritium facility operations, reactor surveillance work, commercial projects, and regulatory compliance functions.

The strike demonstrated the critical importance of CRPEG members' work in ensuring nuclear reactor safety, managing radioactive waste, and conducting nuclear medicine research that serves all Canadians.

While vacation leave has been reinstated, PIPSC's unfair labour practice complaint regarding CNL's retaliatory cancellation of pre-approved vacation continues to move forward through the Canada Industrial Relations Board.

"Despite facing surveillance intimidation tactics and cancellation of vacation leave, CRPEG members stayed strong and professional," said PIPSC President Sean O'Reilly. 

The tentative agreement follows 17 months of negotiations that began when the previous collective agreement expired on December 31, 2023. CRPEG members commenced strike action on May 26, 2025, after declaring an impasse in negotiations. They resumed strike action on June 23, after rejecting a settlement offer from CNL.

PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca