Move allows city to ‘remain aligned with other public sector employees while supporting the overall wellness and success of the organisation’
All employees of the City of Ottawa will be required to return to the workplace full-time next year.
The city will return to five days in the office as the new standard for all city employees, effective Jan. 1, 2026, according to a memo.
“The collective return to a five-day office standard for all City employees will help strengthen the organisational culture and build confidence and trust in the City’s ability to continue to provide responsive and reliable service to the public,” said City Manager Wendy Stephanson in the memo addressed to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and members of council.
“The City of Ottawa values in-person work as the foundation for collaboration, organisational culture and excellent service delivery. A return to the five-day office standard allows the City to remain aligned with other public sector employees while supporting the overall wellness and success of the organisation.”
Rogers Communications previously announced that all workers will be required to be in the office five days a week beginning February 2026.
Meanwhile, Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank), the Bank of Montreal (BMO), Scotiabank and the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) have all called on employees to be in the office at least four days a week.
Alternative work arrangements
Despite the move, the City of Ottawa said that some workers may still enjoy the benefit of remote or hybrid work on a case-by-case basis.
“Any alternative work arrangements will continue to be made in consultation between managers and their employees based on role, operational needs and available space,” said Stephanson.
“The City’s top priority is delivering excellent service to residents—which employees have continued to do throughout a time of significant change.”
Over 85% of Ottawa City staff are onsite or in the workplace each day to provide service to residents, according to the memo.
Recently, Ontario unions pushed back against the provincial government’s return-to-office mandate.
Fork on the road
In a LinkedIn post, Maynard Webb, founder of Webb Investment Network, noted that many employers have made it clear that we’re at “a fork in the road”.
“Employees can return to the office—or they can choose to leave and receive severance,” he said.
“There will be winners and losers in this new paradigm. Employers will get the structure they want, but they will also lose some great talent. Ultimately, it is up to every individual. Each person needs to make an informed decision to work in the manner that makes sense and is empowering to them.”
Amid the growing call for a full return to the workplace, the majority of Canadians still want to spend most of their working time at home, if possible, according to a previous Angus Reid survey.
