OTTAWA — A new round of layoffs has begun at Alliance Atlantis and Canwest, as the two broadcast properties come together following the CRTC’s final approval of the $2.3 billion takeover of AA by Canwest and Goldman Sachs.

AA’s SVP of content John Gill — the exec attached to series including Billable Hours — is among those cut, and ended his seven-year stay at the cablecaster on Monday, Playback Daily has learned.

There are also unconfirmed reports that further cuts have been made to the cablecaster’s development staff, though there has been little official word from Canwest.

‘While decisions to make changes within the organization and reduce staff are always difficult, we are confident that the new organizational structure will continue to build on our strengths and take Canwest broadcasting to new heights,’ said Deborah Lewis, VP of communications, on Monday.

Lewis would not disclose any details of the restructuring, including how many staff will be let go or when. Details will be announced ‘over the next week,’ she said.

According to one inside source, who spoke to Playback Daily on condition of anonymity, a number of key Alliance Atlantis personnel will be retained, and the cuts will not affect its sales department.

Canwest doesn’t want to jeopardize the profitability of AA’s 13 specialty channels, the source said, and since the sales model for the specialty channels is different from that of conventional television, Canwest is unlikely to make any cuts to AA’s sales team.

The source added that the restructuring will result not only in layoffs, but new responsibilities for those who remain.

Peter Murdoch, VP of media at Canada’s largest media union, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union, wasn’t surprised by the news.

‘With the kind of debt load and the way the deal is structured with 2011 profit targets, it’s no wonder Canwest is going after its employees,’ he said. The union represents roughly 1000 Canwest employees.

Canwest’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Alliance Atlantis was approved — subject to conditions including a slightly increased benefits package — by the broadcast regulator just before Christmas. With Canwest satisfying those conditions, the CRTC gave its final approval on Jan. 18.

As a result, the regulated assets of Alliance Atlantis have been released from the independent trustee appointed to oversee them pending the CRTC decision.