Question Period Note: Measures to stabilize the ADM community

Why has the number of Assistant Deputy Ministers (EX-04 and EX-05) grown faster than the number of classified positions at those levels, resulting in overages?

• Public service executives led large and urgent efforts to support Canadians during the pandemic and played an important leadership role in advancing government priorities.
• This led to an increase in senior executive positions, some of which extend beyond departments’ ongoing requirements and established organizational structures.
• Budget 2025 announced a reduction of 1,000 executives across the public service over the next two years.

Classification is how the federal public service evaluates and assigns a level to a job based on the work performed, its responsibilities, and its impact. For executive jobs, including ADMs, this is done using the Executive Group Job Evaluation Standard. Proper classification ensures that:
• Jobs are aligned with the organization’s mandate and size.
• Responsibilities are clearly defined and matched to the right level.
• Employees are compensated according to the level and nature of the work they are performing.
• Structures are efficient, avoid unnecessary layers, and support accountability.
Classification of ADM level positions is important because of the effect on their subordinate structure (the roles that report to them). Without appropriate classification, organizations risk creating positions that are not at the right level, with responsibilities that are unclear or that overlap with other roles—leading to inefficiencies, unclear accountabilities, and increased costs.
Public service executives led departmental efforts to support Canadians during the pandemic and played an important leadership role in advancing government priorities. This led to a spike in senior executive positions, some of which extend beyond departments’ ongoing requirements and established organizational structures.
In July 2025, there were 59 more substantive EX-04 and EX-05 executives than permanent positions at these levels. This overage is being driven by overreliance on special deployments and multiple banked positions (when multiple individuals are appointed to a single position).
TBS is working with organizations to stabilize the ADM overage situation and prevent further growth through temporary oversight of EX-04 and EX-05 staffing decisions. As of November 6, 2025, the overage has been reduced to 43.
Corrective measures will be determined by each deputy head, working within the requirements of TBS classification policy instruments. Possible actions could include reclassifying positions to the correct level, expanding the scope of responsibilities where appropriate, and only using situations where two people hold the same position in rare, specific cases — for example, when preparing for an upcoming departure. Deputy heads are responsible for identifying any non compliance and taking the necessary steps to align with policies and standards of the Core Public Administration. TBS monitors and provides advice to support deputy heads in meeting these obligations.

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