'Buy nothing': PSAC wants federal workers to boycott downtown Ottawa businesses

A union representing federal employees is asking its members to bring their own lunch to work, in an apparent retaliation against downtown Ottawa businesses as new return-to-office protocols begin.

"Buy nothing," reads a post by the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) on Instagram. "The needs of the downtown core shouldn’t fall on the back of workers and the federal public service. How workers spend their money on in-office days will send a clear message to politicians."

PSAC is asking its members to minimize spending on in-office days and buy from local businesses in their neighbourhoods.

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The union says working conditions should not be shaped by politics and politicians' "commercial interests."

The move comes after members of Canada's business community have been asking the government to bring its employees back to office. The request is meant to help local businesses and revive downtown core.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe took to X to voice his disappointment. He says downtown local businesses should not be blamed for the government's back-to-office mandate. Sutcliffe suggests keeping local businesses out of the "line of fire," pointing out the suffering they've encountered since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Let's support them and support a thriving downtown," Sutcliffe's post reads.

The Ottawa Board of Trade (OBOT) also voiced its disappointment on X, noting the importance of keeping the capitals' downtown vibrant.

"Our public servants are also committed residents who know that supporting our family, friends and neighbours who work at, or own local businesses is what makes Ottawa so great!" OBOT's post reads.

Federal employees in the core public service will be required to be in the office a minimum of three days a week, and executives will need to be on-site a minimum of four days, starting this week. The new requirements apply to 282,152 employees in the core public service, with the government recommending that departments and agencies outside the core public service adopt a similar strategy.

Rolla Hanna, owner of Gabriel Pizza on Metcalfe, says it's unfair to put the blame of the new return-to-office mandate on restaurants.

"They don't feel like they need to come back to work because they feel like they can work efficiently from home," said Hanna. "I just don't believe that the battle between the government and the union has anything to do with the small businesses. We shouldn't be penalized for them coming back to work three days a week."

Morning Owl coffee shop manager, Brynmore Jones, also said a boycott of downtown businesses is unfair.

"A lot of these are small businesses. And I think that we deserve jobs too. I understand that people don't necessarily want to be buying lunch every single day, but like that wasn't required pre-COVID. It's not required now," Jones said.

PSAC, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) and other federal unions organized a rally in downtown Ottawa for the first day of the new hybrid work requirements Monday.

Some downtown business owners said this week they are pleased to see more federal workers milling about.

"Having more people come in and sharing our food with them makes us happy. It's like a win-win for everyone. People will have good food, and good times. We will have good business as well and we'll have more hours for everyone," said Nour Sakhniya, manager of Mr. Fez Shawarma.

"It's not just the lunch rush for us. We get the outside dinner rush because people leave their work, and they might grab something on their way home."

With files from CTV News Ottawa's Josh Pringle and Dave Charbonneau