The number of senior municipal employees placed on availability – a status that provides full pay while they perform no duties – has risen following the City of Montreal's announcement of winter job reductions.
The mayor confirmed that the winter 2026 plan calls for the elimination of a number of positions across the administration. As those roles are removed, a larger share of senior staff have been moved to the availability pool, where they continue to receive their regular salaries but are not assigned active responsibilities.
City officials explained that the availability arrangement is a standard practice used when positions are slated for removal. It allows the municipality to comply with employment regulations while the workforce is restructured. The recent increase reflects the impact of the winter job cuts on the senior tier of the municipal workforce.
No further details on the exact count of employees affected were released. The municipal government indicated that the measure is temporary and that the overall staffing plan will be reassessed after the winter period concludes.