Federal Personnel Spending Tops Operating Expenses at $71B, Budget Watchdog Reports

Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux waits to appear before the Senate Committee on National Finance, in Ottawa on Oct. 17, 2023. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Ottawa spent $71.1 billion on wages and other employee-related expenses in its most recent fiscal year, marking the largest portion of the government’s operational spending, according to new estimates from Canada’s financial watchdog.

The 2024-2025 expenditure represents an increase of $1.5 billion from the $69.6 billion allocated for personnel in the previous fiscal year, even with the public service reducing its workforce by approximately 10,000 positions, a report from Canada’s parliamentary budget officer (PBO) said.