Layoffs in Canada
105 companies in Canada have conducted layoffs, affecting 18,228 employees.
18,228
105
155
Top Companies
Shopify
3,482 affected · 8 events
OpenText
2,802 affected · 4 events
General Motors
2,500 affected · 3 events
ZoomInfo
870 affected · 3 events
Skip the Dishes
800 affected · 1 events
Lightspeed Commerce
780 affected · 3 events
Hootsuite
471 affected · 3 events
Paper
355 affected · 4 events
SSense
353 affected · 2 events
SkipTheDishes
350 affected · 1 events
Layoff Events
ZoomInfo
600
affected
ZoomInfo laid off 600 employees representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2026-05-10. The company is at the Post-IPO funding stage and operates in the Sales sector.
Shopify
30
affected
Shopify laid off 30 employees on 2026-05-04. The company is at the Post-IPO funding stage and operates in the Retail sector.
OpenText
0
affected
OpenText, a Canadian information management company with 22,000 employees, has laid off approximately 880 workers, representing four percent of its global workforce. The cuts, part of a corporate restructuring, affected roles across engineering, community management, and senior analysis in countries including the United States, Canada, and India. This move precedes the upcoming leadership transition, with former IBM Americas president Ayman Antoun set to become CEO in April. The company is focusing on its core AI-driven information management business and has been selling non-core assets to reduce debt, aligning with a broader three-year optimization plan.
SSense
215
affected
In February, Montréal-based luxury e-commerce fashion retailer SSense laid off over 200 employees, specifically 169 at its Saint-Laurent warehouse and 46 at its office. This represented a significant reduction from its workforce, as the founders' buyback plan aimed to retain approximately 760 employees. The layoffs, attributed to economic reasons, occurred just two days after a Québec court approved the founders' $78-million bid to reclaim the company from bankruptcy protection, blocking lenders' push for an asset sale. The company, once valued at over $5 billion, had struggled with falling sales due to shifting consumer habits, rising interest rates, and a detrimental U.S. trade policy change, leading to its 2025 bankruptcy filing.
Shopify
0
affected
Shopify, the Canadian e-commerce giant valued at nearly $250 billion CAD, has conducted another round of layoffs, this time within its partnerships division as part of a restructuring effort. The job cuts, which began on a Wednesday morning in early 2025, follow previous layoffs in November 2024 and larger reductions in 2022 and 2023. While the exact number of affected employees is undisclosed, the move aims to refocus the team on "agentic commerce" and AI-driven opportunities, aligning with CEO Tobi Lütke's directive that AI use is a "baseline expectation." The restructuring, led by VP of partnerships Atlee Clark, emphasizes building low-friction systems and high-trust relationships to help merchants leverage AI, reflecting Shopify's broader push into AI partnerships with firms like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google.
Tenstorrent
80
affected
Tenstorrent laid off 80 employees representing approximately 7% of its workforce on 2025-12-09.
Shopify
0
affected
Shopify on 2025-11-26.
Hootsuite
0
affected
Hootsuite representing approximately 20% of its workforce on 2025-10-27.
BenchSci
83
affected
BenchSci, a Toronto-based AI startup in the pharmaceutical technology sector, has laid off approximately 83 employees, representing 23% of its workforce, as part of a strategic shift to become an "AI-first" company. This move, announced in August 2025, follows a previous 17% reduction in early 2024. The company is aggressively adopting generative AI tools to automate workflows, streamline operations, and boost efficiency, explicitly aiming to replace human-performed tasks with AI. CEO Liran Belenzon emphasized that the company now prioritizes AI solutions before adding new staff or processes, reflecting a broader industry trend where tech companies leverage AI to reduce costs and enhance productivity.
Klue
85
affected
Vancouver-based AI software startup Klue laid off approximately 85 employees, representing just over 40 percent of its workforce, in a major restructuring on June 25. The company, which provides AI-powered competitive intelligence tools, is contending with rising competition from businesses using DIY AI solutions like OpenAI's ChatGPT, leading to missed revenue targets and increased customer churn. CEO Jason Smith cited the need to become an "AI-first" operation and hasten the path to profitability as key reasons, noting that AI acts both as a competitive threat and an internal efficiency driver. The layoffs, which included voluntary departures, are part of a broader consolidation of engineering operations in Canada and a reduction in compute spending.
ZoomInfo
150
affected
ZoomInfo laid off 150 employees representing approximately 4% of its workforce on 2025-06-09.
LeddarTech
138
affected
LeddarTech, a Québec City-based autonomous vehicle software provider, laid off approximately 138 employees, representing about 95% of its workforce, as it faced severe financial distress. The company, which had around 145 total employees, made the cuts in a desperate attempt to preserve cash and avoid defaulting on its credit facility with Desjardins. Despite briefly recalling some staff after a temporary agreement with lenders in early June 2025, negotiations with a key commercial partner collapsed, leading to the decision not to reinstate any furloughed workers. With only $4.1 million CAD left by May 8 and unable to meet critical funding deadlines, LeddarTech announced its intention to file for bankruptcy on June 17, 2025, after failing to secure a buyer, partner, or new investment, effectively ending its active operations in the competitive auto tech industry.
OpenText
1,600
affected
OpenText, a Canadian enterprise software giant with approximately 23,000 employees, is laying off an additional 1,600 workers as part of an expanded business optimization plan announced in April 2025. This follows earlier cuts, bringing total net reductions to 2,000 roles. The layoffs are directly tied to the company's strategic shift to an AI-first approach, aiming to generate annual savings of $490-$550 million. CEO Mark Barrenechea detailed a 10-point AI mandate, making AI skills a baseline expectation for all employees and a factor in performance reviews. While cutting jobs, OpenText plans to strategically add back about 1,000 roles in key areas, reflecting a global restructuring to align talent with its AI-driven future.
General Fusion
0
affected
General Fusion, a 23-year-old Canadian startup in the fusion energy industry, laid off at least 25% of its workforce in early May 2025 due to a critical cash shortage. This significant reduction occurred shortly after the company achieved a key technical milestone with its LM26 device, which successfully compressed plasma. CEO Greg Twinney cited an increasingly challenging funding landscape, where investors and governments are navigating political and market uncertainties. Despite raising $440 million from notable backers like Jeff Bezos, the company's unique approach to fusion has struggled to prove viability amid intense competition. With competitors like Commonwealth Fusion Systems securing over $2 billion, General Fusion's financial constraints highlight the extraordinary costs and high stakes in the race for commercial fusion power.
General Motors
500
affected
General Motors is laying off 500 workers at a factory in Canada due to weak demand for its all-electric BrightDrop vans. The cuts involve eliminating one of two shifts at the CAMI plant in Ontario, and the facility will be idled for 20 weeks starting in May.
Dayforce
0
affected
Dayforce representing approximately 5% of its workforce on 2025-02-26.
SRTX
140
affected
Based on the provided article content, there is no information available about a layoff event at SRTX. The text appears to be a generic interface or navigation menu for a website or application, containing common elements like "Home," "Subscriptions," "Chat," and "Profile." It does not mention any news, company details, workforce changes, or financial context related to SRTX. Therefore, a summary of a layoff event cannot be generated from this content.
Turso
0
affected
Turso, a company in the database industry, is undergoing strategic changes to focus on core development, which includes discontinuing certain features for new users and adjusting its free tier. While the article does not specify layoffs, it mentions reallocating resources to accelerate the Rust-based SQLite rewrite, reflecting a shift in priorities. The announcement, made in January 2025, emphasizes continued support for existing paid customers while streamlining offerings like edge replication and multi-database schemas to enhance long-term vision and efficiency.
Lightspeed Commerce
200
affected
Lightspeed Commerce laid off 200 employees on 2024-12-02.
Hopper
0
affected
Online travel agency Hopper conducted its second major reorganization in just over a year this month, resulting in 60 to 65 layoffs, which represents approximately 10% of its workforce. The restructuring particularly impacted the direct hotel team, with about 20 employees affected, a move largely driven by Expedia's decision to restart supplying hotels to Hopper, which made those roles less critical. The company is now focusing on strategic realignment to streamline operations and enhance efficiency in the competitive online travel industry.
General Motors
1,000
affected
General Motors is laying off nearly 1,000 workers in the U.S. as part of a cost-cutting bid, just three months after cutting 1,000 software jobs. The cuts are aimed at optimizing for speed and excellence, focusing on efficiency and business priorities, and come amid potential federal subsidy losses for electric vehicles.
FreshBooks
140
affected
FreshBooks laid off 140 employees on 2024-10-01.
ApplyBoard
0
affected
ApplyBoard representing approximately 4% of its workforce on 2024-09-19.
Sandvine
0
affected
The provided article content does not contain any information about layoffs at Sandvine. The content is a collection of news headlines and snippets covering various topics such as Canadian finance, oil markets, international trade, and other global events, with no mention of Sandvine's operations, workforce, or any restructuring. Therefore, a layoff summary for Sandvine cannot be generated from this material.
Skip the Dishes
800
affected
Skip the Dishes, along with its parent company Just Eat Takeaway.com, is laying off approximately 800 employees in Canada. This includes about 100 workers directly from Skip the Dishes and around 700 operations staff from the parent company. Announced by CEO Paul Burns on August 20, 2024, the decision is part of a restructuring effort aimed at ensuring the right resources and organizational structure for sustainable growth in the competitive food delivery industry. The layoffs reflect ongoing challenges as the sector adjusts post-pandemic, with companies streamlining operations to focus on efficiency and long-term viability.
General Motors
1,000
affected
General Motors is cutting around 1,000 software workers globally to focus on high-priority initiatives like improving its Super Cruise driver assistance system, infotainment quality, and AI. The layoffs aim to help the company move more quickly in the software-defined vehicle market, following recent software problems and leadership changes.
Paper
81
affected
Montréal-based EdTech startup Paper conducted its fourth and deepest round of layoffs within a year in late July 2024, cutting 45% of its approximately 180 head office employees. This followed the appointment of EdTech veteran Rich Yang as interim CEO, replacing co-founder Phil Cutler. The company later laid off its entire Canadian tutor workforce, affecting hundreds, as part of a strategic shift to focus on the US market to rebuild operations and improve its financial situation. Founded in 2014, Paper provides online tutoring and faced criticism over tutor-to-student ratios despite growth during the pandemic.
Sampler
0
affected
Toronto-based digital product sampling startup Sampler has filed for bankruptcy, effectively ceasing operations and resulting in the layoff of its entire workforce. The company, which had grown to operate in 23 countries, filed an assignment of bankruptcy on June 27, 2024, after accumulating nearly $13 million in liabilities against assets of just over $300,000. This collapse in the marketing technology and startup industry follows a period of rapid growth and acquisitions, despite the company reporting over $10 million in annual revenue and aiming for profitability last year. The bankruptcy proceedings mark the end of an 11-year journey for the venture-backed firm, which had raised a total of $13 million CAD.
Cohere
20
affected
On July 23, 2024, AI startup Cohere laid off approximately 20 employees, representing about 5% of its 400-person workforce. This move came just a day after the company announced a significant $500 million funding round, valuing it at $5.5 billion. CEO Aidan Gomez described the layoffs as a necessary step to remain competitive and at the forefront of the generative AI industry, emphasizing a need to align the team with strategic priorities. Despite the cuts, Cohere, a Toronto-based competitor to OpenAI and other major AI firms, plans to continue hiring aggressively, with an aim to double its headcount in 2024. The layoffs highlight the ongoing challenges and high costs in the rapidly evolving AI sector, where companies balance massive investments with the pressure to deliver performance and revenue.
Unbounce
0
affected
Unbounce, a Vancouver-based marketing technology company, laid off an unspecified number of employees in July 2024. The layoffs affected multiple departments, including customer support, software development, and marketing, as indicated by a public spreadsheet of affected alumni seeking new roles. While the exact scale and percentage of the workforce reduction are not detailed in the provided content, the event reflects broader adjustments within the competitive SaaS and martech industry.
OpenText
1,200
affected
OpenText laid off 1,200 employees representing approximately 2% of its workforce on 2024-07-03.
Symend
0
affected
Symend, a financial technology company specializing in customer engagement, has announced a restructuring effort that includes layoffs. While the exact number of employees affected was not disclosed in the company's public communication, the move is part of a broader initiative to streamline operations and reorganize for future growth and product innovation. The decision, communicated to staff in early 2023, reflects the company's strategy to focus its team and resources on delivering differentiated value to clients through its Conscious Engagement platform. Symend expressed gratitude to impacted employees and emphasized its ongoing commitment to its core vision and leadership in the industry.
Kinaxis
0
affected
Kinaxis representing approximately 6% of its workforce on 2024-05-08.
Fission
0
affected
Fission representing approximately 100% of its workforce on 2024-04-07.
Lightspeed Commerce
280
affected
Lightspeed Commerce, a Montreal-based commerce platform provider, laid off approximately 280 employees in early 2024, representing about 10% of its global workforce. The company, which operates in the fintech and e-commerce industry, cited a strategic restructuring aimed at improving operational efficiency and focusing on profitability amidst a challenging economic environment. This move follows a period of rapid expansion and is part of broader cost-cutting measures to streamline operations and align with long-term growth objectives.
Top Hat
35
affected
Toronto-based EdTech company Top Hat laid off 35 employees on January 30, 2024, as part of a strategic push to become a "self-sustaining business" in its upcoming fiscal year. This represents approximately 7% of its workforce, which currently stands at 498 employees. The layoffs, based on business priorities rather than individual performance, mark the second round of downsizing for the online education firm in the past year, following a cut of 42 employees in August 2023. This move occurs amid a broader trend of Canadian tech layoffs in early 2024, as companies like Loopio and Wattpad also reduced staff to refocus on profitability in uncertain economic conditions.
Wattpad
20
affected
In January 2024, the storytelling platform Wattpad, owned by Naver's Webtoon Entertainment, laid off approximately 20 employees, representing about 10% of its then 200-person workforce. This reduction was part of a company reorganization aimed at cutting costs. The move supports its parent company's broader financial restructuring efforts as it prepares for a potential U.S. IPO as early as 2025. This marks the second round of layoffs for Wattpad, following a 15% staff cut in March 2023. The Toronto-based company operates in the media and entertainment industry and has been introducing new monetization features like Wattpad Originals to adapt its business model.
Loopio
0
affected
Loopio, a software company specializing in response management solutions, has laid off 6% of its workforce. This difficult decision, announced by CEO Zak Hemraj, reflects broader challenges and changes within the software industry over the past 12-18 months. The layoffs are intended to allow the company to carefully manage resources and reinvest in product innovation and new capabilities. Loopio remains committed to its customers and market leadership. The company has encouraged job opportunities to be shared via a dedicated alumni email to support the affected employees.
7Shifts
68
affected
Restaurant software startup 7Shifts, based in Saskatoon, laid off 68 employees on January 11, representing 19% of its workforce. This marks the company's second round of cuts in four months, following a 7% reduction in September 2023, as it contends with difficult market conditions, including rising inflation and interest rates impacting its restaurant clients. The layoffs, affecting R&D, sales, operations, and people teams, are part of a push to improve efficiency and ensure competitive runway for growth. The company, which has raised about $152 million CAD and serves over 40,000 restaurants, is adjusting after failing to meet ambitious revenue targets set during a period of high market valuations.
BenchSci
70
affected
Toronto-based AI and biomedical startup BenchSci has laid off 70 employees, representing 17 percent of its workforce, as it adapts to the impact of generative AI in drug discovery. The company, which recently secured $95 million in Series D funding, cited shifts in the economic environment, operational efficiencies, and technological advancements as reasons for the restructuring. BenchSci aims to reinvest in generative AI to enhance its preclinical research platform, despite the difficult decision to reduce its team. The layoffs reflect a broader trend among Canadian AI and biotech firms adjusting their strategies in a changing market.
Tulip Retail
25
affected
Tulip Retail, a company in the retail technology industry, laid off 25 employees in a difficult restructuring move. This reduction, described as immensely painful by founder Ali Asaria, involved parting with some of the company's best and most senior staff. The layoffs were implemented to transition the company to a new phase of profitability, eliminating the need for outside capital to build and grow. While the exact total employee count and percentage affected are not specified, the company emphasized it is now a "big enough company" to operate sustainably. The affected employees are being supported with above-market severance packages, extended health benefits, and career transition resources. The layoffs occurred recently, as indicated by the post from "yesterday," marking a significant shift for the over-ten-year-old company that started as a small startup.
FreshBooks
0
affected
Toronto-based FinTech firm FreshBooks has laid off approximately 39 employees, representing six percent of its 642-person workforce, as part of a restructuring effort. This marks the company's third round of layoffs in the past year, following a 10 percent reduction eight months prior. Concurrently, FreshBooks is closing its operations in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has seen significant leadership changes, with its president and CEO stepping down and interim co-CEOs appointed. Founder Mike McDerment cited economic challenges, referring to "winter in startup land," while sources indicate the company is shifting focus from international expansion back to the North American market to cut costs and pursue profitability by 2025. The accounting software provider, which serves small and medium-sized businesses, continues to operate as a late-stage startup navigating a difficult financial climate.
StellarAlgo
21
affected
Calgary-based sports fan engagement software startup StellarAlgo laid off 21 employees in mid-October as part of a restructuring, a move the CEO attributed to a shift from rapid growth to a cooler financing environment where efficiency is prioritized. While the company declined to provide exact figures, the layoffs likely represent nearly a quarter of its workforce, which was referenced as being over 74 employees. The restructuring aims to help the company serve customers more efficiently and includes a reorganization into four new business units. This reflects a broader trend of tech companies adjusting their operations amid tougher market conditions and a more challenging funding landscape.
Hopper
250
affected
Hopper, an online travel and fintech company, laid off approximately 250 employees, representing 30% of its full-time workforce, in a move to achieve profitability. The company, which had raised $730 million, faced unsustainable burn and growth rates. The cuts align with efforts to enhance its travel app and B2B operations, while also focusing on building direct global hotel supply. This shift became more urgent after Expedia Group removed its hotel inventory from Hopper in July. The layoffs reflect broader challenges in the travel industry as companies adjust to market pressures.
Andgo
9
affected
Andgo Systems, a Saskatoon-based software startup, has conducted layoffs as part of a broader trend affecting Canadian tech companies. The layoffs occurred after the company failed to meet its growth targets amid deteriorating economic conditions, including rising interest rates and inflation. While the exact number of employees laid off and the total workforce size at Andgo were not disclosed, the cuts reflect a strategic shift toward preserving cash and pursuing profitability, as venture capital becomes scarcer and investor priorities change. This move places Andgo alongside other Saskatchewan startups like Vendasta and 7shifts, all adjusting to a challenging market environment that has led to widespread staff reductions across the tech industry in 2023.
7shifts
30
affected
Last week, 7shifts, a restaurant workforce management platform, announced a difficult team reduction of 7%, which impacted approximately 30 employees. This marks the company's hardest change since the COVID-19 pandemic as it aims to build a stronger future. The layoffs occurred in the technology industry, specifically within the SaaS sector for restaurants. The company is supporting affected staff by sharing their profiles with hiring managers to help them find new opportunities.
Paper
87
affected
Paper, an educational technology company, laid off 87 employees, representing roughly 4% of its total workforce, on September 12, 2023. The layoffs affected corporate non-tutor roles as part of a restructuring effort aimed at achieving profitability by early 2024. The company cited the need to focus its business, prepare for the future, and adapt to shifts in school funding following the end of COVID-era support, emphasizing the importance of financial health to ensure long-term viability and continued service to students.
BioWare
50
affected
BioWare is laying off approximately 50 people.
Top Hat
42
affected
Top Hat, a Canadian educational technology company, has reduced its headcount as part of a broader industry downturn. The layoffs, confirmed in early August 2023, reflect the severe market pressures facing tech startups. With rising interest rates and a sharp decline in venture capital funding, companies across the sector are being forced to cut costs to preserve cash and pursue profitability. Top Hat's staff reduction places it alongside other Canadian firms like Fable and the now-closed Silofit, contributing to a global wave of tech layoffs that has seen over 225,000 jobs eliminated in 2023 alone. The company operates in the competitive edtech space, where securing sustainable funding has become increasingly challenging.
Paper
106
affected
Paper, an education technology company, laid off 106 employees from its corporate headquarters team on August 1, 2023. This reduction affected roughly 4% of its total workforce. The company cited shifting market conditions in the education sector, where school districts are operating with tighter budgets, as the primary reason. To ensure long-term sustainability, Paper is optimizing its investments and organizational structure. The founders expressed that this difficult decision was made to strengthen the company's future position while acknowledging the impact on affected employees, who were offered a comprehensive separation package including severance, extended benefits, and continued platform access for their families.