Rogers said that about half of its 25,000 employees will be offered packages.Tijana Martin/The Canadian Press
Rogers Communications Inc. RCI-B-T is offering voluntary departure packages to 50 per cent of its employees, excluding Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, as telecom industry revenue growth has slowed across the industry and as companies look to shed costs.
On Monday, Rogers said that about half of its employees across numerous business divisions will be offered packages.
Rogers did not say whether it had a reduction target. Typically, only a minority of employees offered a voluntary buyout will accept it.
Rogers had 25,000 employees at the end of 2025. This includes about 3,000 MLSE employees, as Rogers is now the company’s majority owner, but these MLSE employees will not be offered buyouts.
“We are taking steps to adjust our cost structure to reflect the business realities of the current environment. As part of this, some teams have chosen to offer voluntary departure and retirement programs to give some employees the choice to decide whether they’d like to stay with the company or begin a new chapter,” said Rogers spokesperson Zac Carreiro in a statement.
Some teams in the company’s business units and corporate functions are eligible, though others are not eligible, including on-air talent, Sportsnet employees at Rogers Sports and Media, Toronto Blue Jays and union employees.
Last week, the Toronto-based telecom, media and sports company said it planned to reduce its 2026 capital expenditures by up to $1.2-billion compared to last year – a reduction of 30 per cent – after years of heightened spending and in light of what executives described as a difficult regulatory environment.
Rogers, as well as its rivals, BCE Inc.’s Bell Canada and Telus Corp., have been cutting jobs and offering buyouts to hundreds of employees each in recent years, as cell phone plan pricing has been declining and as population growth has stalled.
All three companies also have substantial long-term debt on their books, that they have accrued in recent years building out infrastructure unit, making acquisitions and developing new business lines. Rogers had $34.7-billion in long-term debt as of March 31.
Following its $20-billion takeover of Shaw in 2023, the company bought Bell’s stake of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for $4.7-billion, re-signed its licensing deal with the National Hockey league for $11-billion, and plans to buy the remaining stake of MLSE later this year in a deal that analysts expect will cost upwards of $4-billion.
In order to pay down debt, Rogers sold a stake of its wireless infrastructure for $7-billion in 2025, and plans to sell a minority stake in its combined sports portfolio – including all of MLSE and its existing sports and media assets – to external investors.
In 2025, Rogers laid off customer support staff in multiple provinces and told about 400 technicians and managers they had the option either to accept severance packages or sign employment contracts with telecom company Ericsson, which it said would then act as a contractor for Rogers.
It also ended its customer service contract with third-party firm Foundever, affecting hundreds of jobs.