The cuts represent 11 per cent of the workforce at Environment Canada, calling into question the department's ability to carry on its mandate, said Bill Pynn, national president of the Union of Environment Workers, which represents 476 of the affected workers.

Nearly 50 Canadian civil society organizations and experts sent a statement to Prime Minister Stephen Harper decrying the cuts to Environment Canada and outlining serious concerns about the impacts from loosing these staff, July 4, 2011.

The statement was endorsed by Council of Canadians, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources, International Institute of Concern for Public Health, Keepers of the Athabasca Watershed Council, Métis Women's Circle, Mining Watch Canada, National Council of Women of Canada, National Network on Environments and Women's Health, Polaris Institute, Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Sierra Club Canada, among others.

"At the very least, the Harper government owes the public clear explanations of how the core activity of Environment Canada will not be harmed by these layoffs. What is the timeline and what areas of the department will be affected? How will we ensure that critical roles are not left vacant? There are too many questions and no good answers regarding this slashing of a critical government department," said Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May.