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Five people employed by Ontario’s environmental watchdog are losing their jobs as a result of the government’s decision to merge the office with that of the province’s auditor general.

A spokesman for the auditor general’s office says they were unable to offer positions to five full-time employees because their roles duplicated those of existing staff members or because their specific positions were not required under the organization’s expanded mandate.

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Christine Pedias says in an email that they will also be seeking to hire a commissioner of the environment who will report to the auditor general.

The position of environment commissioner is currently held by Dianne Saxe, who has been critical of many of the changes brought in by the Progressive Conservative government.

Premier Doug Ford’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The premier has long said that no jobs would be lost as a result of his cost-cutting measures to eliminate a multibillion-dollar deficit.