Bell Media has laid off roughly five dozen employees, including 20 Unifor members, according to a union release.
The union says 11 journalists are among the layoffs – five of those newly-unionized CTV National News members from Unifor Local 79-M in Toronto. Journalists in North Bay, Halifax, and Calgary were also impacted.
Unifor says traffic coordinators, schedulers, and promotional coordinators from Locals 723-M and 79-M in Toronto were also caught up in the cuts.
Bell Media told Broadcast Dialogue that the layoffs are part of its ongoing digital transformation, but denied any newsgathering roles were impacted.
“As part of Bell Media’s ongoing transformation to a digital media and content leader, approximately 60 positions, around 1% of the Bell Media team, have been impacted,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We can confirm no newsgathering or reporting roles were impacted as part of these changes. The roles are predominantly in corporate departments and are a continuation of changes that began last November. We thank all departing employees for their dedication and contributions.”
Unifor said it’s working to ensure collective agreements are being adhered to, including reviewing the legality of the terminations involving the five National News members.
“This is a critical moment to support Canadian jobs and Canadian journalists—especially when democracy itself is under attack,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Unifor will stand with our media members as they navigate this uncertainty. These cuts strike at the heart of Canadian journalism. Every newsroom job eliminated means fewer Canadian stories told, fewer facts verified, and less accountability for those in power. When journalism is weakened, democracy is weakened—and Canadians are the ones who pay the price.”
