6,214 Public Servants Apply for Early Retirement

OTTAWA — More than 6,200 federal public servants have submitted applications to retire early under a government incentive program, with just over two months remaining until the July 24 deadline.

As of May 12, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat reported 6,214 applications received since the program launched in late March. The initiative allows eligible employees to leave without a pension penalty as part of broader efforts to shrink the federal workforce. Approximately 68,000 public servants received notices indicating their potential eligibility.

The program stems from the government's 2025 budget, which targets a 10 percent reduction in the public service by the end of the 2028-29 fiscal year. Officials aim to minimize layoffs by encouraging voluntary departures through this early retirement option.

Not every application will succeed. Department heads must review submissions before forwarding them to the pension center for final processing, the secretariat noted on its website. This step ensures alignment with operational needs across various agencies.

The incentive reflects ongoing fiscal pressures facing the federal government. Public service employment has grown...