The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) is undergoing more staff cuts as it reveals a modernization initiative to increase production budgets for documentary and animation.

The organization announced Thursday (April 4) that 55 employees will be let go as part of an initiative to redistribute resources and improve its practices and management tools.

However, the NFB estimates that the changes will translate to roughly $5 million in additional spend to finance animated films and documentaries, and lead to the creation of 23 new positions, according to a news release.

The cuts impact “all sectors of the organization,” a spokesperson for the NFB told Playback Daily when asked which departments and types of roles would be affected, adding that “the modernization of the NFB is at every level.”

This staff reduction is in addition to the 14 positions cut earlier this year as a result of the closure of NFB’s interactive studios in Montreal and Vancouver. At the time, the organization said the closures would allow it to reinvest $3.5 million into production and a distribution initiative, as well as create six new positions.

“For the NFB, continuing to innovate in all of its activities remains a critical goal. Directors will continue to develop their projects in a highly creative environment, and teams will meet with filmmakers and new talent across the country. The organization is committed to fulfilling its mission by respecting its commitments to equity, diversity and inclusion, in particular with respect to Indigenous and BPOC communities, as well as official-language minorities,” read the release.

The NFB has been in a state of flux over the last few months. Last December it announced an organizational restructure that saw the elimination of two executive producer roles, leading to the departure of David Christensen and Rohan Fernando.

The organization employed 381 full-time equivalents in the 2022-23 fiscal year, according to its annual departmental results.