The federal government and municipalities throughout the province should enforce a full-time return to the office for their workers, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says.
Ford, who has addressed the matter on multiple occasions, recently commended the City of Ottawa’s decision to mandate its employees to work five days per week in the office beginning in the new year, and urged the federal government and other Ontario municipalities to “follow suit.”
“It’s time to bring people back to work, that they can be mentored, they can collaborate,” Ford said during an unrelated Aug. 27 press conference in Inglewood, Ont. “It’s a lot easier looking at someone in the eye than sitting over a telephone or a computer screen.”
Ford announced a provincial mandate earlier this month instructing Ontario’s public servants to resume working in the office four days per week beginning this fall, transitioning to full-time in January.
“I believe everyone’s more productive when they’re at work,” Ford said at the time. “How do you mentor someone over the phone? You can’t. You got to look at them eye to eye or at the water cooler.”
Provincial Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney published the new directive on Aug. 14, saying all employees of the Ontario Public Service and its provincial agencies, boards, and commission must be in the office four days a week beginning Oct. 20, before transitioning to full-time in-office work on Jan. 5, 2026. The change officially brings an end to the provincial government’s pandemic-era policies.
Remote Vs. In-Office
The premier’s comments come at a time when the push to overturn remote work policies is gaining traction. Four of Canada’s largest banks—RBC, Scotiabank, BMO and TD—and companies like Rogers, have recently raised their requirements for employees to be in the office.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown also said this month he is aligning with the province’s directive by requiring city employees to resume full-time in-office work next year.
Spokespeople for the Yukon and Northwest Territories governments have also confirmed that a review of their remote work policies is currently underway, but most provinces like B.C. and Manitoba continue to allow remote work or offer hybrid positions, where time is split between the office and home.
Federal public servants are currently obligated to work in the office at least three days per week, while executives must spend at least four days a week in the office.
Public Service Alliance of Canada national president Sharon DeSousa has been advocating for the right to work from home for several months for the nearly 240,000 the union she leads represents.
The union launched a remote work campaign in January alongside the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) and the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC).
The union said survey data showed 90 percent of its members want to either work remotely as much as possible or have the flexibility to do so as needed.
“The evidence is clear: remote work is good work. Flexible work arrangements allow us to build the modern, productive public service of tomorrow which will benefit everyone in Canada,” DeSousa said in a statement. “It saves taxpayers money, is better for the environment, and sets the bar for all workers across the country.”
Wages, job security, and remote work were key issues highlighted during the public service strike in 2023, which saw tens of thousands of federal employees on picket lines throughout the nation for nearly two weeks.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada and Ottawa restarted contract talks for more than 120,000 public servants in June. DeSousa has said she expects the issue of remote work will crop up during negotiations.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
