Edmonton city manager Andre Corbould announced changes to top city staff Wednesday in an effort to find room in the budget for council priorities.
The office of the city manager confirmed to Global News that eight manager positions were empty.
The deputy city managers of employees services and communications stepped aside in March and now those two departments will be incorporated into the office of the city manager. Three branch manager positions in those departments became vacant more recently and will not be filled, the city said.
One more branch manager quit and two people were “recently released,” and those positions will not be filled, according to the city.
In the Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, the number of deputy fire chiefs will be reduced from five to three.
The dollar figure of the changes was not available but staff said those numbers will be shared next time city council receives a report on ongoing budget tightening measures through the OP12 process.
The salary for managerial positions with the City ranges from $81,000 to $310,000, according to the city’s sunshine list.
While the city is reducing several positions, it is also adding new ones: a new chief climate officer and new assistant deputy fire chiefs.
Assistant deputy fire chiefs are paid between $99,000 and about $142,000, according to a job posting on the city’s website.
City staff was tasked with finding $60 million in savings and $240 million in reallocations after the 2023-26 budget.
“I have full confidence in the city manager and our administration to implement these changes, and that they won’t impact front line services,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi.
“City council looks forward to continuing to support administration through this difficult work, and we look forward to seeing how they’ll find $240 million that can be transitioned to Council’s priority areas of housing, climate change, public transit and core services.”
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