Calls for a trimmer federal bureaucracy are gathering steam across Canada, with a new poll showing a clear majority favouring cuts to both personnel and spending in Ottawa’s corridors of power.
According to recent findings from Leger, 54 per cent of Canadians want the federal public service reduced, marking a shift in public mood that echoes well beyond political rhetoric. As pressure mounts for Ottawa to tighten its belt, the debate over the size and cost of the civil service is no longer confined to policy wonks or backbenchers—it’s reached kitchen tables from Barrie to Vancouver.
Since 2016, federal records show nearly 99,000 new employees have joined government ranks and personnel costs have soared by over 70 per cent. Despite these increases, half of Canadians polled say federal services have declined, while only 11 per cent noticed any improvement. The reasons behind this dissatisfaction are as varied as the country’s landscape. Quebec and Alberta led the call for reductions, with more than 60 per cent support, while support in Ontario and British Columbia hovered just above 50 per cent. The appetite for cuts grows even sharper with age: those 55 and older are most likely to demand action.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s campaign promise to cap, not cut, the public service seems at odds with fiscal reality. Most departments and agencies have been asked to trim up to 15 per cent from program spending by 2028–29. Meanwhile, a recent report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives estimates that nearly 60,000 jobs could vanish over four years as the government seeks savings.
Andrew Enns, Leger’s executive vice-president for Central Canada, sees the timing of the poll as significant. He notes a widespread belief that the civil service “needs to shrink”, with voters—especially seniors—voicing doubts about value for money. Franco Terrazzano of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation goes further, arguing that a growing bureaucracy has not translated into better services, calling cost increases “extremely high.”
While the polling methods offer no margin of error, the message is unambiguous. Canadians want more from government, but they want it done with less. Whether Ottawa can deliver remains to be seen.
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More than half of Canadians want cuts to the federal public service: poll
