But Treasury Board says hybrid work model 'strikes the right balance'
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging the federal government to mandate a full-time return to the office for federal public servants, according to a report.
This follows the City of Ottawa’s recent decision to require municipal employees to work onsite five days a week. Ford said he is “proud” of Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe for making that move.
“Now, the federal government – you need to follow suit and all other regions across Ontario,” Ford told reporters, noted CTV News.
“It’s time to bring people back to work so that they can be mentored, they can collaborate. It’s a lot easier looking at somebody in the eye instead of sitting over a telephone or a computer screen.”
Last week, Ottawa City Manager Wendy Stephanson, in a memo addressed to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and members of council, said that the city will return to five days in the office as the new standard for all city employees effective Jan. 1, 2026.
Federal government, Ontario RTO mandates
The federal government currently requires core public service employees to be in the office at least three days a week, with executives required to attend four days. A spokesperson for Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali told CTV News Ottawa that the current hybrid work model “strikes the right balance” and that there are no plans to change the policy.
“The direction on prescribed presence in the workplace is driven by a commitment to serve Canadians most effectively. This direction, which sets a minimum attendance requirement for the federal public service (three days for eligible employees, and four days for executives), has not changed,” the spokesperson said, according to CTV News.
“We thank public servants for their continued dedication to building a strong Canada. This is about improving collaboration, service delivery, and outcomes for Canadians. While we will remain flexible, we believe this strikes the right balance for employees and for Canadians.”
The full implementation of the federal government’s return-to-office mandate took effect in September 2024. However, in the first week of the implementation, just 81% of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) employees were compliant with the RTO rules that calls for a three-days-a-week presence in the office. The number dropped in the weeks that followed.
Ontario workers back in office full time
On Aug. 14, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat president Caroline Mulroney confirmed that all Ontario Public Service (OPS) employees will be required to work on-site five days a week starting Jan. 5, 2026. A phased transition begins Oct. 20, 2025, when employees currently in office at least three days a week will increase to four.
“This decision was made with no meaningful consultation with workers or their representatives,” the ONA said, adding that hybrid models have supported productivity and retention.
The union said years of office space reductions mean many sites cannot accommodate all staff. Expanding space, it warned, would result in “significant taxpayer expense” and potential mismanagement.
“The timing of this decision could not be worse,” the statement continued, citing the Convenient Care Act, which will merge 14 Ontario Health atHome agencies.
