Canadian scientists warn government to halt cuts, warn of growing climate risks

Members of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) gathered on the York Steps along Sussex Drive, where they unveiled a display titled "Summer Then, Summer Now", contrasting images of traditional Canadian summers with scenes of recent wildfires and floods to highlight what they described as the growing consequences of reduced public scientific capacity.

The union said the cuts affect experts responsible for wildfire and flood mapping, air quality monitoring, forest research, severe weather forecasting and climate resilience, while also impacting Canada's 24-hour Weather Radio service, which provides emergency alerts to many northern, remote and Indigenous communities.

"The government's own briefing made clear there is a growing wildfire risk across the country," PIPSC President Sean O'Reilly said in a statement.

"What it didn't explain is why it is cutting the tools and experts behind flood monitoring, severe weather research, wildfire mapping, emergency warnings, and climate resilience."

O'Reilly said the reductions come despite previous warnings from senior officials about the limits of further spending cuts.

"Last year, Environment and Climate Change Canada's Deputy Minister warned there was nothing left to cut without affecting the department's core mandate," he said. "That should have been a warning, not a roadmap."

PIPSC called on the federal government to disclose what scientific work would no longer be carried out as a result of workforce reductions and to publish a public assessment of the risks associated with further cuts.

"Climate resilience isn't built during an emergency press conference. It's built every day over years by the experts working long before disaster strikes," O'Reilly said.

Canadians shouldn't have to discover the consequences of these cuts during the next emergency; they deserve to understand the risks now."

During the demonstration, federal scientists and other union members distributed information highlighting the role public service researchers play in disaster preparedness and emergency response.

The union urged the government to base future workforce decisions on scientific evidence and public safety considerations rather than fiscal targets, arguing that protecting scientific expertise is essential as climate-related emergencies become more frequent across Canada.