New order from Feds calls executives on-site five days a week - union calls out 'irony' of message
The federal government is dramatically scaling back hybrid work for its own managers and staff, ordering executives to be on-site full time by May 4, 2026.
In a “Message to Deputy Heads” memo posted on the government website, federal deputy heads were instructed Thursday to prepare for a sharp increase in on‑site work, with the Treasury Board and the Chief Human Resources Officer outlining new presence requirements that will see many public servants spending most of their week at the office by summer 2026.
“We are writing to inform you that the Government intends to increase the on-site presence of executives and employees who are eligible for hybrid work,” the memo reads, noting that separate agencies are “strongly encouraged to take a similar approach.”
Federal government RTO guidelines
The message sets out clear timelines.
“As of May 4, 2026, executives will be required to work onsite 5 days per week,” the message states.
“For all other employees, the intention is to have them work onsite 4 days a week as of July 6, 2026.”
The message notes that many public servants are already in the workplace full time because of the nature of their roles. It also stresses that it will consult with unions on the rollout: “We will be engaging with bargaining agents to seek their input on implementing this plan. These discussions will focus on important elements, such as the potential for allocation of assigned seating and occupational health and safety.”
Facilities and space planning are also central to the shift. The message indicates that Public Services and Procurement Canada “will work closely with you to ensure that adequate office space is available for your employees,” a key concern for employers increasing mandated in‑person time after years of downsizing and hoteling.
Existing telework agreements not being reopened
At the same time, Ottawa is not reopening telework agreements in general. Deputy heads are told that “all provisions in the Direction on Prescribed Presence in the Workplace continue to apply and no changes are needed to employees’ existing telework arrangements/agreements.”
The memo, which is signed by Bill Matthews, Secretary of the Treasury Board; Jacqueline Bogden, Chief Human Resources Officer; and Francis Trudel, Associate Chief Human Resources Officer, frames the move as necessary to support government priorities and workplace culture, stating that to meet “ambitious plans” to deliver on promises to Canadians, “Working together onsite is an essential foundation of the strong teams, collaboration and culture needed during this pivotal moment and beyond.”
For Canadian employers watching federal workplace policy, the direction underscores several themes: renewed emphasis on in‑person collaboration, formal consultation with bargaining agents when altering hybrid models, and the operational reality that office space, seating and health and safety must be addressed in tandem with any return‑to‑office push.
Response from unions
Union leaders have already responded to the news. In a press release titled “Return to office: Government order defies PM’s own remote-work argument”, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) demanded explanations for the RTO order, “despite years of demonstrated productivity and evidence on how remote work supports recruitment and retention.”
PIPSC represents more than 85,000 public-sector professionals, the majority of them federal employees.
Sean O'Reilly, president of PIPSC, dismissed the workplace-culture justification offered by Treasury Board.
“This mandate isn't about performance, collaboration, or service to Canadians,” he said.
“It's about optics, imposed on a workforce already dealing with layoffs, budget cuts, and a workplace already in chaos.”
Union points to ‘irony’ of Carney’s own writings in challenging mandate
The union is also raising questions about how the announcement was handled internally. PIPSC says Treasury Board representatives told union leaders at a meeting last Friday that they had no information on when a new mandate would be announced or what it would contain.
"Either senior officials responsible for workforce policy have been kept in the dark, or union representatives were not being told the truth. Neither inspires confidence," O'Reilly said.
PIPSC is calling on the government to pause the new mandate, release the evidence behind it and engage meaningfully with unions before implementing what it describes as another top-down decision.
In a pointed criticism, the union contrasted the directive with Carney's published views on flexible work. In his 2021 book Value(s), Carney praised remote work's efficiency and human benefits, writing: "The transition from home to work involves only a few steps from bed to computer… I prefer that."
"The irony is hard to miss," O’Reilly commented.
"The government is abandoning the very principles its own Prime Minister has championed. Carney is using one set of values in print, and another in practice."
