The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) increased its workforce after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, parliamentary figures reveal. Blacklock's Reporter says despite the winding down of the global health crisis, PHAC employed 810 staff in 2023, up from 787 in 2022 and significantly higher than the 272 employees it had in 2019, the last pre-pandemic year. No explanation was provided for the expansion.The data, disclosed in response to a question from Conservative MP Robert Kitchen, comes amid broader scrutiny of federal payroll costs. The Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) reported that federal personnel spending reached $69.5 billion in 2023, with payroll costs increasing at an average annual rate of 9.2% since 2017.PBO Yves Giroux testified before the Commons government operations committee that the federal government could reduce its management layers. “Yes, there is room to reduce,” Giroux said, referencing the “de-layering” of executive roles.Giroux highlighted inefficiencies in the federal bureaucracy, noting, “It is not uncommon for departments to have five levels of executives and associate deputy ministers or more, and one deputy minister. It leads to a situation where an employee can have seven levels of management above them.”Giroux also expressed concern over the disconnect between growing federal expenditures and measurable improvements in government performance. “Over time, we are seeing an increase in the number of public servants and public expenditures, but despite departments choosing their performance indicators, they don’t seem to be getting significantly better,” he said.Conservative MPs Stephanie Kusie and Kelly Block pressed Giroux on the need for efficiency and cost savings. Giroux suggested departments should streamline management and align spending with improved outcomes.Additionally, a separate government report disclosed that spending on six-figure executive salaries has doubled since 2016, reaching $1.9 billion annually. The federal government currently employs 10,077 executives earning between $135,000 and $256,000 a year.The figures raise questions about the sustainability and efficiency of federal spending as departments continue to expand their personnel and budgets without clear improvements in performance.
