The Montreal Gazette is looking to cut its number of editorial staff members through voluntary departures.

Publisher Alan Allnutt told staff in a memo Wednesday that the Gazette will offer enhanced severance packages in hopes of attracting employees to depart voluntarily, The Canadian Press reported Thursday.

The Gazette is the city's only English-language daily newspaper, and is owned by Manitoba-based CanWest Global Communications Corp., which also owns several other Canadian dailies.

Allnutt also stated in his memo that staff reductions are due to the newspaper's market, circulation and readership, as well as other economic factors, according to The Canadian Press.

It is unknown how many people the Gazette is looking to cut. The contract between the union and the Gazette is set to expire June 1, 2008. Early last month, CanWest, which owns the Global television network and a chain of daily newspapers that includes the National Post, announced it would cut 200 jobs at its Canadian television stations.