Approximately 200 federal employees to return to offices in the national capital region this week
A small number of federal public servants are set to return to their office towers in the national capital region this week as part of a pilot project that will inform a broader plan for a return to the workplace.
Tens of thousands of federal employees have been working from home since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving office towers in Ottawa and Gatineau, Que. practically empty.
According to Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), more than 200 employees have volunteered to be part of its "pathfinder project". Employees can choose to return to work sites in downtown, east and west Ottawa, as well offices in Gatineau, including Place du Portage III, starting Aug. 3
The federal public service employs more than 127,000 people in the national capital region (NCR), according to government data.
"Participation is voluntary and flexible. Employees who want to participate must register and reserve their workstation in advance. The workspaces were designed according to activity-based workplace guidelines, including non-assigned spaces and collaborative spaces. Employees will be able to choose to work at one of these locations or work from home, depending on what is more convenient for them," said a PSPC statement emailed to CTV News Ottawa.
"The project will be active until PSPC is ready to transition to its next phase of gradual reintegration into the workplace. The data from the pathfinder project in the NCR will be used to shape the future of PSPC’s workplace."
Business owners in downtown Ottawa have said the lack of foot traffic has been an additional challenge on top of the already challenging COVID-19 pandemic. Areas that were once bustling with federal employees have been quiet for more than a year due to remote work.
"Each of these buildings used to have hundreds of people. Businesses were surviving out of them," said Sam Elsadi, owner of Crêperie Rim on Sparks Street.
"Since the pandemic happened, you have no one walking around," Elsdai added. "You come Monday to Friday, the percentage of the crowd you see is five per cent, maybe less. We cannot be just dependent on visitors; we need support from federal government workers."
Ottawa's public transit system has also felt the effects, with the Confederation Line LRT and several commuter bus routes that connect the suburbs to downtown seeing major declines in ridership because of fewer daily commuters.
PSPC said it does not yet have a target date for a return to the workplace for all employees at this time.
"We are currently exploring various possibilities, and our priority is to ensure our employees’ health and safety as well as their well-being," the statement said, while noting that about 225 federal employees in the Pacific, Ontario and Quebec regional offices have returned to their respective workplaces.
PSPC did not confirm whether public servants must be fully vaccinated before returning to the office, but referred to a statement from Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos in May urging all federal employees to be vaccinated.
"I encourage all public servants, who are able to, to get vaccinated when their turn comes," Duclos said.
Duclos noted that employees in the core public administration have access to up to half a day of paid leave in order to receive a vaccine during working hours, if necessary.
Union pleased program is voluntary
The head of Canada's largest federal public sector union says he is happy that workers are being given the option of whether or not they want to return to the office.
"We’re pleased to see that the return-to-workplace pilot project is voluntary. Some of our members may have health and safety concerns around returning to their workplaces, including having to use public transit on their commute," said a statement from Chris Aylward, the national president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC).
"To ensure this pilot is successful, management should continue proactively consulting with workplace health and safety committees and unions so that any issues or concerns, including adequate ventilation, can be promptly addressed by the employer to ensure all safety precautions have been implemented."
Aylward stressed the need for employees to remain involved in all decisions regarding the project and any future return to workplace plans.
"Mental health supports should also be available as workers return to their workplaces, given the potential for heightened anxiety and stress levels during the transition," he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
'I just want to be safe': Ukrainian man in Canada faces limbo amid consular freeze
A recent decision to restrict consular services for fighting-aged Ukrainian men has made a Ukrainian man in Canada feel less certain of his next steps — and worried he could be pulled back to the war.
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.