After TVA and BCE, it was CBC/Radio-Canada's turn to announce major cuts in its number of employees and programs.

The state-owned company announced in a press release on Monday afternoon that it intends to eliminate 600 unionized and non-unionized jobs across the country over the next 12 months. Approximately 200 vacant positions will also be eliminated.

Similar efforts will be required from the English and French services of the public broadcaster, which cites planned budgetary pressures of about $125 million for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

Thus, 500 jobs will be cut evenly between CBC and Radio-Canada. Further staffing cuts will be imposed on the state company's bilingual institutional services.

It is currently difficult to say to what extent the news service or regional stations, for example, will be affected by Monday’s announcement. Each sector will begin these gradual cuts based on its action plan and operational requirements, as detailed in the press release.

The public broadcaster will also reduce program budgets in both French and English in anticipation of the next fiscal year, including nearly $40 million for independent production it commissions and the shows it acquires.

It states that this measure will reduce the number of show renewals, acquisitions, new television series, episodes of our current shows, and original web series.

CBC/Radio-Canada employees were called to video meetings Monday afternoon to hear from President Catherine Tait the bad news that had been circulating in the media since the weekend.

The state-owned company employs just under 8,000 people. This means that about 10% of the staff will be affected by this major wave of cuts.

A shock among employees...

Employees feel shocked and anxious, according to the response of Radio-Canada Workers' Union (STTRC) president, Pierre Tousignant, on Monday.

His organization, which represents nearly 3,000 workers in the government company in Quebec and New Brunswick, especially regrets the lack of transparency in the government company.

Again, CBC/Radio-Canada cannot answer basic questions about targeted jobs, which services will be affected, and overall, the ability to fulfill our mandate as a public broadcaster despite the expected size of the cuts, STTRC announced through a press release.

The union also now believes that the state-owned company will have to make choices if it wishes to ensure its core mission, which is guaranteeing access to information in all regions of the country.

By wanting to be everywhere, CBC/Radio-Canada risks ending up nowhere, wrote Pierre Tousignant. He insists that priorities must be set, without specifying any at this time.