Bell Media has laid off nearly 100 workers, most of whom are in Toronto and Montreal, the Star has learned.
“As part of Bell Media’s ongoing transformation to a digital media and content leader, we can confirm that 98 positions are impacted, predominantly in service and corporate departments,” a Bell Media spokesperson told the Star. “Included in the total are 44 union roles, with the majority being offered voluntary separation packages by Bell Media.”
The spokesperson also said that no CTV News journalists were affected by the changes and no news programs have been cancelled.
“We thank all departing employees for their dedication and contributions,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the changes are “predominantly” affecting employees based in Toronto and Montreal.
Tracy Nolan, the president of the union representing Toronto-area Bell Media employees, wrote in an email that Bell Media designated three employee classifications as “surplus” and that the union is challenging two of those positions.
Earlier in February, Bell Canada announced an “enhanced voluntary separation program” to around 1,200 unionized employees. Bell Media was not affected by those buyouts.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, criticized the move, calling it short-sighted and a “damaging stunt to temporarily reduce costs.”
“Bell cannot keep cutting jobs every year and expect the ship to turn itself around,” Unifor national president Lana Payne said of the move.
Last year, Bell cut 4,800 jobs across the country, its largest restructuring in almost 30 years, and closed more than 100 The Source stores.
The company owns CTV, CTV News, TSN, CP24 and Crave, among other stations and media assets. Bell CEO Mirko Bibic said last year that CTV conventional stations lost more than $180 million in 2023.
Bell also eliminated 1,300 positions in June 2023, saying at the time it was moving toward “greater collaboration and efficiency” in how it delivers the news.
In November, CP24 moved from its iconic downtown Toronto building to Bell Media’s Agincourt location near McCowan Road and Highway 401. The Queen Street West studio — known for its eye-catching news truck bursting out of the wall — was the channel’s home for nearly three decades.
With files from Josh Rubin and Mark Colley
