Lethbridge City Hall -- LNN

By Connor Gunn

City of Lethbridge cuts 61 full-time equivalent employees

Jul 13, 2021 | 4:57 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Through the city’s Organizational Review & Workforce Adjustment Strategy, 61 full-time equivalent employees will be let go from their jobs.

In July 2020, KPMG was engaged to conduct an independent Organizational Structure Review to support City efforts to address reductions at the government level.

The report identified the following deductions from the October 2019 KPMG City of Lethbridge Operational Review:

• The City has high “staffing levels per capita” compared to other like-sized municipalities which contributes to a higher cost of service.
• The City has a significant number of departments relative to other municipalities and could likely realize operating and managerial efficiencies through some level of consolidation.
• In response to the July 2020 KPMG Organizational Structure Review, and subsequent Council direction to reduce the size of the Corporation by 60 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, the City initiated an Organizational Restructure and Workforce Adjustment Initiative in January 2021.

The staff reductions are estimated to result in salary savings of $4.28 million annually.

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Implementation of the organizational restructure and workforce adjustment began in June and will result in a consolidation of departments from 35 to 22 along with the 61 FTE.

Mayor Chris Spearman said these changes are difficult to handle.

“These types of initiatives are never easy. We know it is critical work at this time as we look to be as agile as possible coming out of the pandemic. But we also know this has a very real human element which makes it difficult for everyone involved.”

The city says these changes will help “the City align structure with strategy in order to be as effective as possible.”

View the full report here.