CAMBRIDGE – The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) has temporarily laid off 75 staff members as a cost-saving measure as it grapples with the financial impact of COVID-19.
“Temporarily laying off our employees is not an action we wanted to take, but given that the length of time and extent to which our operations will continue to be impacted by COVID-19 is uncertain, we have reached a stage where further reductions are needed in order to ensure the delivery of critical services now and in the longer term,” stated GRCA CAO Samantha Lawson in a release.
The layoffs affect 75 union and non-unionized staff in casual, seasonal, part-time and full-time positions across the organization.
The GRCA employs up to 450 staff at different times throughout the year; many of those are seasonal employees who support the operation of Grand River Parks.
In an email statement, GRCA communications manager Lisa Stocco said the organization is projecting a $4- to $5-million operating loss due to the pandemic and it became necessary to reduce its overall payroll expenses in order to continue with its critical and legislated work.
Stocco said closing its facilities to the public and cancelling programs and events has reduced revenues by about 50 per cent.
Helen Jowett, GRCA chair, said the GRCA receives about a third of its funding through municipal levies “and like many organizations, municipalities are experiencing significant financial impacts as a result of COVID-19.”
And the GRCA’s cost-cutting measures taken so far – deferring capital projects, suspending the hiring of students and filling of vacant positions, the use of reserves, as well as the shifting of funds between program areas – have not been enough, said Stocco.
However, the union representing some of those workers claims GRCA management is “irresponsible” and should have consulted with its workers before taking such a drastic move.
“The best cure is to sit down with frontline workers through their bargaining agent, OPSEU, and listen to sensible solutions,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of OPSEU (Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union), in a May 12 press release.
He said the GRCA ignored requests to discuss redeploying staff or other cost-saving measures.
Stocco said the GRCA did explore the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) but is not eligible.
She said the collective agreement with OPSEU includes a provision that allows for employees to be temporarily laid off for lack of work.
“The GRCA followed the process identified in this collective agreement. The last time the GRCA laid off staff was in the 1990s, when provincial funding for conservation authorities was significantly reduced,” said Stocco.
“Our goal is to get all staff impacted by these temporary changes back to work with the GRCA as soon as possible.”
Stocco said the authority continues to provide services deemed essential, though some are continuing at a reduced service level: flood operations and management; land management and property/asset security; planning and permits under Section 28 of the Conservation Authorities Act; Source Water Protection; and programs that support business operations.
