Expert questions use of tech 'that may stir a lot of questions, concerns and negative perceptions' from workers’
Québecor divisions in Quebec have installed heat-and-motion sensors under employees' desks to confirm room and workstation occupancy, drawing criticism from unions and employees and prompting workplace researchers to question whether the tool is worth the cost to employee trust.
The sensors – made by a company called Elia – detect body heat to determine whether a desk or meeting room is occupied, then compile the readings into a heat-map floor plan, CBC reported.
Elia CEO Anthony Blais told Radio-Canada the sensors register the infrared heat radiating from a human body, which is warmer than ambient air, to detect presence.
Québecor says the goal is to help employees locate colleagues on-site and manage space efficiently as hybrid schedules reduce daily desk demand, according to the report.
Earlier this year, the Law Commission of Ontario’s (LCO) launched a wide‑ranging review of digital monitoring and surveillance in workplaces.
Company defends tool
Québecor communications vice-president Véronique Mercier said in a written statement that the sensors give teams real-time visibility into available space and who is on-site, according to Radio-Canada.
Blais has said sensor data is anonymized and aggregated, and that it is impossible to track an individual employee's movements or washroom breaks, CBC reported.
Discussing Elia's broader mission with La Presse in 2023, Blais said monitoring was never the point of the platform. "The goal is not really to monitor them," he said in French, adding that the tool is meant to improve the employee experience.
Elia maintains sensors are the only reliable way to confirm unused bookings, though critics say the company has not addressed why simpler methods, such as manager walk-throughs, would not suffice.
Concerns about heat sensing tech
The Canadian Union of Public Employees, representing more than 3,700 Québecor staff, told Radio-Canada it is monitoring the rollout and is prepared to pursue recourse.
Sébastien Paquette of PSAC-Québec told CBC privacy protections extend into the workplace. "The right to private life apply also at work," he said, comparing the sensors to camera surveillance.
Concordia University professor Maggie Chang told CBC that employee wariness is understandable and questioned the cost of the technology. "Why do you want to spend extra money to buy a piece of technology that may stir a lot of questions, concerns and negative perceptions from their employee?" she said.
Xavier Parent-Rocheleau, a researcher who studies workplace AI, told Radio-Canada that infrared sensors are among the most intrusive technologies available and warned that collected data can eventually be used for purposes beyond its original intent.
Previously, an arbitrator struck down key features of an AI-powered video surveillance system monitoring bus drivers, ruling that continuous recording, live streaming access, and real-time photo updates crossed legal boundaries despite legitimate safety concerns.
