A federal government research centre in central Alberta is being shut down by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
The Lacombe centre one of seven such facilities across Canada being axed as the federal government attempts to trim the size of the public service.
News of the closure, announced Friday, drew swift reaction from Lacombe County, located about 90 minutes south of Edmonton.
Reacting to news of the closure, Lacombe County expressed “deep concern and disappointment,” saying “the long-standing agricultural research station has been a cornerstone of innovation, scientific advancement, and community identity in Central Alberta for more than a century.”
According to the federal government’s website, the Lacombe Research and Development Centre started operations in 1907 and employs more than 100 people, with a focus on research into the areas of crop sciences, livestock and meat production, mostly beef and pork.
Lacombe County is calling on the federal government to pause the decision and consult with representatives of local governments and stakeholders in the agriculture industry on the potential impacts of the closure.
“For more than a century, this research station has been a fixture of agricultural advancement in Western Canada,” said Lacombe County Reeve John Ireland.
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“You cannot easily replicate 119 years of research history, specialized land and long-term trials elsewhere. Once this site is lost, it’s gone forever,” Ireland added.
Lacombe County officials are urging members of the public to voice their concerns over the closure by contacting Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri‑Food.
Ottawa has also announced the closure of research centres in Guelph, Ont., and Quebec City, as well as four satellite research farms across Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Officials in the federal agriculture department said the wind-down of operations could take up to 12 months.
Responding to an inquiry from Global News, the Department of Agriculture and Ari-Food Canada provided a written statement that said: “Like other federal departments, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has identified savings over three years while remaining focused on its core mandate. At this point, we can confirm that AAFC’s workforce will be reduced by approximately 665 positions and that notices to the 1043 affected employees were issued on January 22.”
The statement adds that “AAFC will remain Canada’s largest agricultural research organization, with 17 research centres nationwide and research farmland in every province.”
Unions representing federal government employees say more than 10,000 public servants have received notices in the past week, warning their jobs may be cut as part of Ottawa’s efforts to reduce program spending and administration costs by about $60 billion over the next five years.
Ottawa has said it wants to trim the size of the public service by about 40,000 jobs, from its peak of 368,000 employees in 2023-24.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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