OTTAWA, ON: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released Leger polling showing Canadians want the federal government to cut its bureaucracy and don’t feel services have kept pace with the growth of the bureaucracy.

“The poll shows Canadians know they’re paying for too many federal paper pushers and want the government to shrink its bureaucracy,” said Franco Terrazzano, CTF Federal Director. “The poll also shows Canadians don’t think they’re getting value from Ottawa’s ballooning bureaucracy.

“It’s clear that adding more bureaucrats does not mean better services.”

The federal government added 99,000 employees since 2016. The bureaucracy cost taxpayers $40.2 billion in 2016, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. The bureaucracy cost taxpayers $71.2 billion last year. That means the cost of the federal bureaucracy increased 77 per cent since 2016.

The Leger poll asked Canadians what they think should happen to the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy. The results of the poll show:

• 54 per cent say reduce
• 24 per cent say maintain
• 4 per cent say increase
• 17 per cent don’t know

Among those who are decided on the issue, 66 per cent of Canadians want to reduce the size and cost of the federal bureaucracy.

The Leger poll also asked Canadians if they feel federal services have gotten better or worse with the increase in the size and cost of the bureaucracy since 2016. Results of the poll show:

• 50 per cent say services are worse
• 23 per cent say services are about the same as 2016
• 11 per cent say services are better
• 16 per cent don’t know

Among those decided on the issue, 60 per cent of Canadians say federal services have gotten worse since 2016.

“The government ballooned the cost of its bureaucracy and added tens of thousands of extra bureaucrats, but Canadians aren’t getting better services,” Terrazzano said. “Prime Minister Mark Carney should listen to Canadians and cut the size and cost of government bureaucracy.”