Quebec says it will cut the equivalent of 5,000 civil service positions by March 2027

Quebec plans to eliminate 5,000 full-time positions in the civil service by March 31, 2027.

Treasury Board president France-Élaine Duranceau also announced Wednesday that government employees will return to the office three days a week instead of two.

These two measures aim to increase government efficiency, Duranceau stated at a press conference at the National Assembly.

The Legault government estimates it will have already eliminated more than 2,000 full-time positions this fiscal year, as part of its goal to reach 5,000.

For the remaining positions, it will focus on four key areas: a hiring freeze, bureaucracy reduction, a thorough review of government missions, and the possibility of reducing the work week to 32 hours.

Premier François Legault has been criticized for allowing the size of Quebec’s civil service to swell in recent years after promising to make cuts.

Furthermore, Duranceau announced that government employees will be required to be in the office three days a week by the end of January 2026.

According to her, this will strengthen “collaboration, cohesion, and a sense of belonging, while also fostering creativity, mentorship, and employee integration within their teams.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews