Canadian Workers In 2024 Facing Layoffs From These Companies
Canadians are still facing layoffs due to a series of job cuts that started in 2023 as companies evaluated their operations post the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tech firms, retailers, and more have started downsizing their workforce to navigate through the economic downturn.
Here are some companies that have laid off Canadian workers in 2024:
BCE Inc.: The telecommunications giant based in Montreal announced on Feb. 8 that it was reducing 4,800 jobs “at all levels of the company,” though some of the job cuts were due to vacancies and natural attrition rather than layoffs.
BenchSci: The artificial intelligence startup in Toronto laid off an unspecified number of employees in January due to “economic environment, operational efficiencies, and adaptation to technological advancements, specifically generative AI.”
BlackBerry Ltd.: The technology company in Waterloo, Ont., disclosed plans to cut an unspecified number of jobs on Feb. 12 as it worked to separate two of its business divisions.
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The Body Shop Canada Ltd.: Court documents revealed that the subsidiary of the global cosmetics brand planned to lay off approximately 200 workers in March, sought creditor protection, and closed 33 stores. The filings also mentioned recent cuts of 20 head office employees and two contractors.
Cascades Inc.: The paper and packaging company announced on Feb. 13 that it would be shutting three plants, impacting 310 employees.
Corus Entertainment: The broadcaster confirmed in February that it had laid off an unspecified number of employees across various stations.
CPA Canada: Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada announced on Feb. 12 that they were reducing 20 percent of their workforce in anticipation of provincial oversight bodies in Ontario and Quebec seceding from the national organization.
Enbridge: The pipeline giant based in Calgary disclosed plans to cut 650 positions throughout February, attributing it to “increasingly challenging” business conditions like higher interest rates and economic uncertainty.
Factory Direct: The electronics and home goods retailer in Vaughan, Ont., disclosed in court documents filed in February that they would be letting go of 200 employees as the company winds down.
Google: The tech behemoth initiated its year by downsizing its workforce, leaving hundreds jobless. Some of the departing staff were located in Canada, as per Dan Raile, a spokesperson for the Alphabet Workers Union–Communication Workers of America.
Indigo Books & Music Inc.: The retailer laid off an unspecified number of employees in January as part of their continuous efforts to streamline operations post losses, a cyberattack, and changes in leadership.
Lion Electric Co.: The electric bus company announced on Feb. 29 that they were letting go of 100 more employees, around seven percent of their total workforce, in a cost reduction move.
Lynx Air: The low-cost airline announced they would cease operations in late February, with court documents indicating they had 500 employees.
Mastermind Toys: The toy retailer, under new ownership, terminated approximately 272 employees as Unity Acquisitions Inc. took over the company in January.
Rona Inc.: The home improvement retailer in Boucherville, Que., shared plans of cutting 300 jobs as well as closing distribution centers in Terrebonne, Que., and Calgary in January to adjust their operating model and eliminate inefficiencies.
Staples Canada: The office supplies retailer announced cutting an unspecified number of head office employees at the beginning of February as part of their restructuring and operational streamlining efforts.
Wayfair: U.S.-based home goods retailer Wayfair reported laying off 50 workers in Ontario as part of a larger January layoff impacting 1,650 employees in the company.
