Radio-Canada is suspending the creation of new positions until further notice, in order to reduce its expenses.

Le Devoir revealed Wednesday evening that the creation of positions was suspended from now until further notice. In certain cases, however, the creation of positions may continue “if it can be demonstrated that these new positions generate savings or that they are linked to funded temporary projects”, specified the director of media relations, Leon Mar.

However, hiring will not be suspended. “But in the current environment, managing vacancies can be an effective way to reduce the financial pressures we are under,” Mar said.

The Crown corporation attributes these pressures largely to the impact of inflation, labor shortages, higher spending than before the COVID-19 pandemic as well as savings requested by the federal government.

With this decision, Radio-Canada wishes to ensure its financial viability. “Our goal is to minimize the impacts on the services we offer to the Canadian population and to position ourselves well for the future,” added Mr. Mar.

This announcement comes a week after the resignation of the big boss of the French sector of Radio-Canada, Michel Bissonnette, as reported by La Presse columnist Hugo Dumas.

“In office since January 2017, Michel Bissonnette, senior vice-president of Radio-Canada in Montreal, had frictions with his superior Catherine Tait, notably in the thorny controversy over the “word starting with an N”, which erupted in the summer of 2022,” the columnist reported.

At the end of September, La Presse reported that Radio-Canada management had circulated the word “cuts” during a meeting with employees of the information department. The general director of information at Radio-Canada, Luce Julien, then alluded to budget cuts, without specifying the extent.