Corus cuts 43 TV jobs, expanding news deserts in Western Canada

/CNW/ -- Unifor is condemning the latest round of layoffs at Corus Entertainment, saying the dozens of job cuts are the latest sign of a broadcasting sector...

TORONTO, July 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- Unifor is condemning the latest round of layoffs at Corus Entertainment, saying the dozens of job cuts are the latest sign of a broadcasting sector under mounting pressure from media consolidation, delayed government action, and financial uncertainty. "This is a domino effect of policy failures and corporate decisions that have steadily weakened local journalism and now, media workers are paying for it," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "We warned that consolidation would come at the expense of local news, particularly in Western Canada, and that is exactly what we're seeing."

The Corus layoffs will affect 43 Unifor media workers across the country, with most job losses in the western region, underscoring concerns about the continued erosion of local news there. An estimated 28 positions are eliminated in Alberta, two in British Columbia, five in Winnipeg, two in Saskatoon, three in the Maritimes, and three in the Ontario region. The layoffs come just a week after Rogers announced job cuts affecting media workers, further highlighting a troubling trend across Canada's broadcasting industry.

When the Rogers-Shaw merger was approved, Unifor warned that redirecting the approximately $13 million in support previously flowing to Corus-owned stations would disproportionately impact local news operations, particularly in Western Canada. Rogers also committed to reinvesting in local news, but the latest layoffs at both Rogers and Corus suggest those concerns were well-founded. Unifor is also raising concerns about the timing of the layoffs as Corus awaits regulatory approval of its proposed sale to a consortium led by Canso Investment Counsel.

Announcing significant job cuts before the ownership transaction is finalized raises serious questions, where it appears workers are being forced out before new ownership even takes effect. The union also criticized the federal government's continued delay in delivering funding through the Independent Local News Fund, created as part of the implementation of the Online Streaming Act. As well, the uncertainty surrounding the government's review of the Online Streaming Act and ongoing delays in extending journalism tax credits to broadcasters have only added to the challenges facing Canada's news industry.

Unifor has consistently warned that delays in implementing support for Canadian news would place more journalism jobs at risk. Those regulations of the Online Streaming Act by the CRTC would have required large online streaming services that make over $25 million in Canada to contribute 15% of their annual Canadian revenues to support Canadian and Indigenous content and would have reduced the contribution rates for traditional broadcasters to 25% of annual revenues. "The media sector has been sounding the alarm for years," said Payne.

"The support mechanisms promised through the Online Streaming Act would have helped keep blood flowing in these newsrooms. Every month of inaction puts more local journalism and more Canadian jobs at risk." Unifor is working closely with its affected members and will continue advocating for strong public policies and funding that protect fact-based local journalism, good jobs and Canada's broadcasting system.

Unifor represents over 9,000 media workers in Canada, who perform a diverse range of jobs, including: journalists, printers, advertising representatives, newspaper carriers, video editors, camera operators, technicians, writers, producers, editorial researchers, maintenance workers, on-air talent, stage and film crewmembers, production assistants, website developers, editors and publishers. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad and strives to create progressive change for a better future.