In response, AMAPCEO vows to fight for remote flexibility
The Ontario government announced today that all Ontario Public Service employees and staff across provincial agencies, boards and commissions will be required to return to full-time in-office work starting January 5, 2026.
Minister Caroline Mulroney, president of the Treasury Board, said the move is part of the government’s plan to “protect Ontario” while driving public service excellence.
“The return to a five days per week in-workplace standard reflects the current workforce landscape in the province and reinforces our commitment to the people and businesses we serve across Ontario,” Mulroney said in a statement.
The government is implementing a gradual transition beginning October 20, 2025. Employees currently attending the workplace at least three days a week will increase their in-office presence to four days per week as a step toward the full-time standard. Over half of Ontario Public Service staff are already required to work on-site full time due to the nature of their roles.
“The transition supports the government’s ongoing efforts to build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant Ontario,” Mulroney added.
The announcement comes amid a broader trend in Ontario and across Canada of organizations reassessing workplace models post-pandemic, balancing flexibility with operational needs and public accountability.
Union pushback against office mandate
The announcement has drawn immediate pushback from AMAPCEO, the union representing Ontario public service professionals. In a statement, AMAPCEO President Dave Bulmer criticized the government’s move as an attempt to override negotiated agreements and curb remote work flexibility.
“Remote work works,” Bulmer said, highlighting that AMAPCEO members have successfully delivered public services from offices, the field and home for the past five years. He accused the Ontario Public Service employer of seeking “unilateral control over where, and when, you work” during previous bargaining rounds, a stance the union says it successfully resisted.
“The Secretary of Cabinet is now using policy to force through what couldn’t be wrested from us during free and fair collective bargaining,” Bulmer said.
Bulmer emphasized that formal, signed remote work agreements remain in place, and employees with such agreements will not see changes until their agreements expire. For those without agreements who wish to work remotely more often, the union is urging them to submit requests promptly using an online tool provided by AMAPCEO.
The union also indicated it is coordinating with other affected bargaining agents to respond to the government’s policy.
“If the OPS aspires to be an innovative, diverse, eco-friendly and accessible workplace, they will maintain this flexibility, which benefits both Ontario’s public servants and the people they serve,” Bulmer said.
AMAPCEO stressed that its members have integrated remote work into their professional lives without compromising service standards, asserting that the government should treat public servants as capable, trustworthy professionals who can deliver results from any location.
The announcement sets the stage for a potential clash over workplace flexibility in the coming months as the January 2026 full-time in-office return approaches.
