FO Salary 2026: $70,393–$142,436 — Forestry (Government of Canada)
Effective Date: 2025-10-01 · Verified 2026-04-26
FO rates of pay for all FO (Forestry) levels in the Canadian federal public service, 2026. Salaries range from $70,393 to $142,436 across 4 levels. Category: Science & Policy. Source: Treasury Board collective agreements.
| Level | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 | Step 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FO-01 | $70,393 ~$50K net | $72,569 ~$52K net | $75,091 ~$53K net | $77,635 ~$55K net | $81,764 ~$57K net | $84,773 ~$59K net | $87,764 ~$61K net | $90,749 ~$63K net | $93,742 ~$65K net | $96,735 ~$67K net | $100,276 ~$69K net |
| FO-02 | $93,148 ~$64K net | $96,046 ~$66K net | $99,114 ~$68K net | $102,512 ~$70K net | $105,580 ~$72K net | $108,609 ~$74K net | $111,636 ~$76K net | $115,056 ~$78K net | — | — | — |
| FO-03 | $108,807 ~$74K net | $111,891 ~$76K net | $114,933 ~$78K net | $118,754 ~$80K net | $122,524 ~$82K net | $126,297 ~$85K net | $130,120 ~$87K net | — | — | — | — |
| FO-04 | $122,258 ~$82K net | $125,633 ~$84K net | $129,003 ~$86K net | $132,386 ~$88K net | $135,619 ~$89K net | $138,855 ~$91K net | $142,436 ~$93K net | — | — | — | — |
Net estimates assume Ontario, no dependents, PSPP Group 2 (post-2013 hire). Use the calculator for your full situation including province, marital status, RRSP, union dues, and pension group.
Select a level for full step breakdown
FO-01
$70,393 – $100,276
$2,707 – $3,857 biweekly (before deductions)
Rates effective from 2025-10-01 · Last verified 2026-04-26 · methodology
FO-01 pay raise history (rates from previous collective agreements)
| Effective Date | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 | Step 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-01 | $70,393 | $72,569 | $75,091 | $77,635 | $81,764 | $84,773 | $87,764 | $90,749 | $93,742 | $96,735 | $100,276 |
| 2024-10-01 | $69,013 | $71,146 | $73,619 | $76,113 | $80,161 | $83,111 | $86,043 | $88,970 | $91,904 | $94,838 | $98,310 |
| 2023-10-01 | $67,491 | $69,577 | $71,995 | $74,434 | $78,393 | $81,278 | $84,145 | $87,008 | $89,877 | $92,746 | $96,142 |
| 2022-10-01 | $65,199 | $67,215 | $69,550 | $71,907 | $75,731 | $78,518 | $81,287 | $84,053 | $86,825 | $89,597 | $92,878 |
| 2021-10-01 | $62,216 | $64,140 | $66,368 | $68,617 | $72,267 | $74,927 | $77,568 | $80,208 | $82,853 | $85,499 | $88,629 |
FO – Forestry
$70,393 – $142,436
$2,707 – $5,478 biweekly (before deductions)
4 levels · Salary data from Treasury Board collective agreements
Rates effective from 2025-10-01 · Last verified 2026-04-26 · methodology
About the FO Classification
The FO (Forestry) group covers foresters, forest scientists, and forest management professionals working for Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), the Canadian Forest Service, and Parks Canada. FO employees conduct research on forest health, wildfire behaviour, climate change impacts on forests, timber resource assessment, and sustainable forest management practices. Canada's forests cover 347 million hectares — nearly 9% of the world's forested area — making federal forestry research a globally significant program.
FO-01 covers junior foresters and research assistants. FO-02 is the working-level research forester or forest management specialist. FO-03 covers senior scientists and regional program leads. FO-04 is a director-level position managing major forestry research programs. Most FO positions require a degree in forestry, forest science, or a closely related discipline, with graduate degrees increasingly expected for research-focused roles.
The FO group is represented by PIPSC under the Applied Science and Patent Examination (SP) collective agreement. Federal forestry work is distinct from provincial forest management — federal foresters focus on research, national-level policy, and forest health monitoring rather than operational timber harvesting (which is a provincial responsibility). FO scientists have been at the forefront of wildfire research and climate adaptation science, work that has taken on urgent importance as wildfire seasons in Canada have become longer and more severe.
FO Tools and Related Resources
FO net pay after federal + provincial tax, CPP, EI, PSPP
Compare with other classificationsSide-by-side FO vs AS, EC, IT, FI, PM
FO raise history vs CPICumulative raise vs Statistics Canada inflation
Other Science & Policy classifications
FO salary — frequently asked questions
What is the FO salary range?
The FO (Forestry) salary range is $70,393 to $142,436 per year as of 2025-10-01, across 4 levels (FO-01, FO-02, FO-03, FO-04). Rates are sourced from publicly published collective agreements.
What does FO stand for in the Government of Canada?
FO is the Treasury Board classification code for Forestry positions in the Government of Canada. It covers 4 levels (FO-01, FO-02, FO-03, FO-04) reflecting different levels of responsibility and seniority.
How much does a FO-01 make?
A FO-01 earns $70,393 (Step 1) to $100,276 (Step 11) per year as of 2025-10-01.
How much does a FO-02 make?
A FO-02 earns $93,148 (Step 1) to $115,056 (Step 8) per year as of 2025-10-01.
How much does a FO-03 make?
A FO-03 earns $108,807 (Step 1) to $130,120 (Step 7) per year as of 2025-10-01.
How much does a FO-04 make?
A FO-04 earns $122,258 (Step 1) to $142,436 (Step 7) per year as of 2025-10-01. FO-04 is the senior-most level in the FO group.
When was the FO pay scale last updated?
The current FO pay scale on FedPay.ca is effective 2025-10-01, with a total of 33 pay steps across 4 levels. Data is verified against Treasury Board collective agreements regularly.
What is the FO take-home pay after taxes?
FO take-home pay depends on your level, step, province, and pension group. Use the FedPay.ca take-home pay calculator at fedpay.ca/take-home to see your net pay after federal tax, provincial tax, CPP, EI, and Public Service Pension Plan contributions for any FO level and step.