Update on Transformation: Our Progress, Vision, and Next Steps

Hello all,

Our organizational transformation efforts are progressing at a fast pace. We understand the desire for greater clarity about what we are trying to achieve and how and when it will affect your day-to-day reality. While the complexity of our organizational transformation and our commitment to respecting the privacy of team members limit the amount of information we can share, I want to provide an update on where we currently are and the important milestones ahead.

The value of collaboration and creative solutions

In recent weeks, the Transformation Team:

• Engaged with the Executive Management Committee (EMC), PCXs, managers, and team members to raise awareness, answer questions, and build engagement.
• Led discussions between directorate leaders to clearly identify what activities could be stopped, reduced, streamlined, adapted, automated and/or delivered through partners with a view to building organizational sustainability and resilience. 
• Supported directorates in bringing forward plans and options for EMC’s consideration in mid-July.

While we still face some uncertainty, particularly in relation to our asset sustainability as upcoming budget decisions are outstanding, our organizational transformation will build on our current priorities and previous planning.  This means continuing our efforts to align our Visitor Experience Core Offer with our fee structure and to explore more self-guided and third-party delivery models. Our organizational transformation will also be informed by our learnings from implementing the Framework for History and Commemoration, where we have seen the power and impact of our places as spaces for Indigenous partners to tell their stories to Canadians. 

At the same time, our transformation is anchored in our commitment to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to advancing Indigenous stewardship, and we will continue to deliver on the government’s ambitious agenda for nature. 

While we have made significant strides, there is still a lot of work ahead of us to meet our target of $75 million in savings within three years.

As we navigate these complex challenges together, we continue to take every possible measure to minimize involuntary departures. Team members who wish to voluntarily leave the Agency currently have tools at their disposal, such as the Early Retirement Incentive (closing July 24) and Alternation – which became available following the launch of the Workforce Adjustment (WFA) period on June 4 – to make the best decision for themselves.

Next steps and timeline

In the coming month, we will identify precisely what needs to change, and how we need to adapt our organizational models moving forward.

Key strategic decisions will continue to be considered and finalized over the summer, with detailed implementation planning to follow. Given the time needed to move from decision to implementation readiness, we do not anticipate any significant impacts before the fall.

Acknowledging the challenges ahead

We recognize that these times create anxiety and concerns for many team members. Please remember that you are not alone, and that dedicated professional support is available:

• Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP): Offers free, confidential counselling at 1-800-268-7708 (or TTY: 1-800-567-5803).
• The Office of the Ombud: Independent, impartial, informal and confidential support to deal with various issues that arise in the workplace. A safe place to call 1-866-787-6780 or email at omb@pc.gc.ca.
• Represented employees also have access to their Public Service Alliance of Canada representative who can offer guidance and support.

I invite you to regularly visit our dedicated Transformation page on ParksNet to review the latest updates.

Thank you for your continued dedication and professionalism, and for supporting one another during this challenging period of renewal.

Andrew Campbell

Interim President & Chief Executive Officer

Parks Canada