Agriculture Canada research centres to close, unions report

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Radio silence from federal officials on research cuts, implications

UPDATED 11:02 CST: Saskatchewan agricultural research centres appear to be hard hit by job losses and closures announced Jan. 22, according to initial reports filtering out.

About 665 jobs were cut.

There are reports from unions representing Agriculture Canada workers that the research centres at Scott and Indian Head will close, while Melfort, Saskatoon, Regina and Swift Current will see job losses. The organic research program led by Myriam Fernandez at Swift Current is expected to close.

Producer-led organizations that work alongside Agriculture Canada staff say they don’t yet know how their work will be affected.

In Alberta, the Lacombe research centre is rumored to be closing.

Radio silence from federal officials

Asked last night to confirm whether research centers would close, an Agriculture Agri-Food spokesperson did not address the question directly.

“We can confirm that Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s (AAFC) workforce will be reduced by approximately 665 positions and that 1043 affected letters are being issued. Details are being shared with employees first, in keeping with the Department’s obligations and out of respect for its personnel. As such, we do not have any additional information to share at this time,” the spokesperson said.

About the author

Alexis Kienlen is a reporter with Glacier Farm Media. She grew up in Saskatoon but now lives in Edmonton. She holds an Honours degree in International Studies from the University of Saskatchewan, a Graduate Diploma in Journalism from Concordia University, and a Food Security certificate from Toronto Metropolitan University. In addition to being a journalist, Alexis is also a poet, essayist and fiction writer. She is the author of four books- the most recent being a novel about the BSE crisis called “Mad Cow.”