CEO call with all Parks Canada team members

October 20, 2026

Andrew Campbell, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

Good morning or afternoon, depending on where you are joining us from today. Because of the importance of today’s messages, I will be translating everything I say.

I would like to start by acknowledging that I speak to you today on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation, whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial. Parks Canada acknowledges and is grateful for the enduring relationship First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples have with this land — relationship that enrich everything we do as an Agency.

I also want to take this opportunity to thank you all for another outstanding operating season in 2026. Despite this period of uncertainty, your efforts shone once again allowing millions of visitors to discover or rediscover the most cherished treasures Canada has to offer. Your exemplary stewardship of our natural and cultural riches and your sustained dedication to Parks Canada’s mandate should make you all very proud.

Today, in line with our commitment that you would be kept informed of changes impacting you as soon as possible, I want you to know that Parks Canada’s transformation is entering a new stage.

Our transformation journey had already started through our integrated planning exercises long before the Government announced Budget 2025 saving targets for the public service. When that announcement came, Parks Canada was already working to identify ways to evolve our operations in response to a changing operating and fiscal environment.

Many departments chose to meet their budget reduction targets with a simple reduction in all their programs. Others opted to eliminate all their term positions. But we decided to proceed with a meaningful transformation to ensure Parks Canada’s stability and sustainability for years to come. We are not going about our transformation the same way we did during the 2012 reductions. We have had a plan since the beginning that continued to evolve to meet changing and new circumstances.

Parks Canada’s transformation has always been about much more than budget reductions. We have sought to proactively shape a more efficient, flexible and delivery-focused organization, while leveraging our collective creativity to find new ways of working together and with others to deliver our mandate.

We have focussed on the “HOW” we go through Parks Canada’s transformation. We have used this focus to guide every single decision made over the past few months – how we make strategic choices, how we design nimbler and more resilient structures, how we treat team members with respect during the transition and, ultimately, how we lay the best possible foundation for the future of Parks Canada, while reducing the necessity of involuntary departures.

We made respect, equity and compassion the guiding principles of this transformation, recognizing that periods of change can be difficult and that every team member deserves to be treated with care. We have used, and are using, every means we have to minimize the number of team members who may need to involuntarily leave the Agency. This is why we have limited hiring, kept organizational holes in the Agency, approved all requests for early departure and affected as high a number of team members, more than 2,900, to allow for voluntary departures.

When our transformation is complete, our team members will be more empowered to work across teams, and we will have reduced internal silos. Collaboration between field units, directorates, Indigenous partners, local communities and businesses will be more common and supported.

Last month, a new Operations model was provided to all field unit superintendents and directors who have begun the detailed planning to support its implementation. At the same time, National Office directorates have been planning for changes to better align with the new Operations model. This includes identifying changes required to make their work more efficient and reducing or ending some activities. Each directorate was asked to, and did, contribute in similar proportions to our savings targets. Every group within the Agency is sharing in making our reduction targets.

Let me assure you that the planning phase has been thorough, and we have left no stone unturned.

While there is still some planning to do, we are moving toward implementing the plan.

Later today, I will send an email to all staff announcing that Parks Canada is now entering a second phase of workforce adjustment.

That email will provide more information and will outline next steps and timelines. But for now, I want to focus on how we will be proceeding and what it may mean for you.

Given the scope of the organizational changes, I’ve asked Rawan to share important details that are critical for all to understand, as we enter this stage of transformation which includes Workforce Adjustment as defined in the collective agreement. Rawan, over to you.

Rawan El-Komos, Vice-President, Human Resources and Employee Wellness

Thank you, Andrew.

To ensure the full and consistent implementation of the new Operations model and of the organizational changes within National Office directorates, a large number of indeterminate employees will receive a letter informing them of their affected status.

This letter will be handed to them directly by their executive (PCX), and they will have the opportunity to discuss what it means for them individually.

I want to be very clear. Receiving an affected letter does not mean the end of your employment with Parks Canada, nor the automatic loss of your staff housing.

Getting an affected letter means that your position may no longer be required due to a lack of work, the discontinuance of a function or the relocation of a work unit to a location you do not wish to relocate.

As the organization identifies areas of activities being stopped or reduced, some positions will remain as they are, some will change, and some will be eliminated.

Affected status also means you continue your work as usual.

I must note that our analysis already identified some areas where it was clear that some of our indeterminate team members’ positions were no longer required.

Although this is a limited number of employees at this time, this news will be especially difficult. We are ensuring these team members receive appropriate information and support for their next steps.

That said, most of the letters being issued this week will be notifications of affected status.

This approach allows for a comprehensive organizational review. It gives the Agency the opportunity to assess the impacts on the workforce as a whole, to align the organization’s future needs with its strategic priorities and to make informed decisions that consider the organization as a whole rather than isolated functions or areas of activity.

I want to reiterate that Parks Canada has used, and will continue to use, every tool at its disposal to minimize involuntary departures. This includes the implementation of the Voluntary Departure Program, which will begin as soon as the notices of affected status are issued.

The Voluntary Departure Program offers affected employees who were already considering leaving the Agency the opportunity to benefit from certain measures set out in Appendix K of their collective agreement.

For these employees, this option provides greater flexibility and choice at an important point in their career. The program also helps reduce the number of involuntary departures of indeterminate employees.

In addition to the Voluntary Departure Program, the Job Alternation process that was launched last June is still available for the non-affected employees who are considering leaving the organization to voluntarily exchange positions with colleagues whose roles are being eliminated.

This process is designed to support continued employment for those who wish to remain, while offering a voluntary departure option for others in accordance with Appendix K of the Collective Agreement.

We encourage employees interested in exploring this option to review the details and indicate their interest through the alternation process tool, available in the workforce adjustment toolkit.

I will turn it back over to you, Andrew.

Andrew Campbell, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer

Thank you Rawan. Over the next three days, PCXs will hand out affected letters to impacted team members. You will have the opportunity to ask any questions, discuss next steps and seek clarity on what to expect.

I am acutely aware that receiving such a letter can create uncertainty and stress for you and colleagues around you. It is important to underscore that you are not alone going through this process. Support is available to you if you need it. You can discuss your concerns with your FUS or Director, you can talk to your HRM, you can reach the Employee and Family Assistance Program, which is available 24/7, there are your union reps or the Ombud’s office, finally you can seek out resources on ParksNet and Parks(Extra)Net.

As well, if you see a colleague struggling, remind them there is help. Please look out for one another and ask questions to your executive and other team members like your Human Resources Manager. We will continue to provide you with information to assist you in navigating this period of uncertainty.

I know that with the tragedies of this weekend in Wainwright, that we have once more been reminded that being a public servant is a calling. It is even more so when we face hard choices or situations. At the end of our transformation, Parks Canada will continue as the strong future oriented organization that we all love to work for, for many years to come.

We started this journey grounded in our mandate and are now getting Parks Canada ready for delivery of that mandate into the future.

Thank you for your patience and trust through this transformation journey. I appreciate the time you’ve taken with me today.