Federal government bureaucracy cost Canadian taxpayers billions over a two-year period, according to a new report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer..The Canadian Taxpayers Federation called for Justin Trudeau’s government to “take some air out of its ballooning bureaucracy” following publication of the report on April 4..Personnel spending increased over a two-year period — according to the report — increasing from $46.3 billion in 2019-20 to $60.7 billion in 2021-22, an increase of 30.9%..Such an increase is equivalent to an expansion in the public service of 31,227 new full-time employees across 24 months..The PBO report also adds “compensation per full-time equivalent increased from an average of $117,497 per FTE in 2019-20 to $125,300 in 2021-22.”.During the pandemic, 312,825 federal employees received at least one pay rise, while the federal government handed out $559 million in bonuses during COVID-19..With union negotiators increasing demands over pay and conditions, the PBO estimates an additional cost to the government of $16.2 billion over a five-year period through to 2027-28..Franco Terrazzano, federal director of the CTF, said: “The Trudeau government needs to take some air out of its ballooning bureaucracy.”.“Struggling taxpayers can’t afford more bureaucrats with bigger salaries and bonuses.”.“Members of Parliament must speak out and reject the unreasonable demands coming from government union negotiators," said Terrazzano.
