“Get serious:” Taxpayers group slams Carney for lack of cuts to fed workforce

A taxpayers’ advocacy group is demanding Carney immediately slash the federal public service, warning that relying on natural attrition won’t halt Ottawa’s rapidly expanding bureaucracy.

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A taxpayers’ advocacy group is demanding Prime Minister Mark Carney immediately slash the federal public service, warning that relying on natural attrition won’t halt Ottawa’s rapidly expanding bureaucracy or its spiralling deficit.

“After adding about 100,000 bureaucrats in a decade, attrition doesn’t go nearly far enough,” Canadian Taxpayers Federation federal director Franco Terrazzano said Monday. “Carney needs to get serious about fixing the budget and making government more affordable for taxpayers.”

Carney said any public service reduction would “happen naturally through attrition,” while pledging to balance the federal operating budget by 2028.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimates federal personnel costs reached $71.1 billion in 2024-25, up 77 per cent from 2016-17, as the government added around 99,000 employees.

Public-service compensation now consumes about 55 per cent of Ottawa’s operating budget.

“Canadians pay too much for an expensive bureaucracy that underdelivers,” Terrazzano said. “Carney needs to significantly shrink the bureaucracy immediately.”

A Leger poll for the CTF found half of Canadians believe federal services have worsened since 2016, even as costs have soared, and 54% want Ottawa to cut the size and cost of the bureaucracy.

A separate Parliamentary Budget Officer report projects federal personnel costs will hit $76.2 billion by 2029-30, adding about $8.5 billion to the deficit over the next five years.

By 2030, the federal workforce is expected to approach 442,000 employees with average compensation exceeding $172,000.

The C.D. Howe Institute has separately projected the federal deficit could climb to roughly $92 billion in 2025-26, driven by higher defence spending, Liberal platform promises and tariff impacts.

“Taxpayers already pay too much for the bloated federal bureaucracy and this report shows those costs will continue to balloon unless the government finally cuts spending,” Terrazzano said.

“Carney should listen to Canadians because taxpayers can’t afford to keep paying for all these paper pushers in Ottawa.”

The CTF’s call comes as Carney and Government House leader Steve MacKinnon are telling Canadians to brace for an even bigger deficit than under former prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Last week, MacKinnon called the upcoming federal shortfall “substantial” but wouldn’t provide a figure or budget date. Carney confirmed the next deficit will be larger than last year’s.

MacKinnon said the Liberals intend to tackle the deficit while maintaining “substantial investments” in housing, the military and economic growth.