More than 4,000 public servants approved for early retirement

The federal government's early-retirement incentive program has approved more than 4,000 applications, with only 12 denied, according to a new tracker launched by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

Of the 7,310 applications received as of June 9, 4,398 have been approved. The program allows eligible public servants to retire early without the standard pension reductions — normally 5 per cent per year for those retiring before meeting age and service requirements.

Eligibility depends on when someone joined the public service. Those hired on or before December 31, 2012, need to be at least 50 with two years of pensionable service and 10 years of employment. Those hired after January 1, 2013, must be at least 55 with the same pension and employment thresholds.

The Treasury Board said reasons for denial vary depending on specific circumstances, but applications may be rejected when eligibility requirements or program criteria are not met. The deadline for applications is July 24, 2026.

Some federal departments have declined to approve any early retirements. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Border Services Agency employees at border crossings, and Communications Security Establishment workers are all barred from the incentive, citing operational pressures or national security needs.

For Ottawa, where the federal public service is a major employer, this program represents significant workforce change.