Overview

• Ottawa will require all municipal employees to work in the office five days a week starting Jan. 1, 2026, with city manager Wendy Stephanson calling it the new standard to bolster culture and service.
• Premier Doug Ford praised Ottawa’s move and told reporters in Inglewood that the federal government and other Ontario municipalities should follow suit to support mentorship and collaboration.
• Ontario previously announced that thousands of provincial civil servants will be back in the office full time by January, aligning with the premier’s position.
• Most federal public servants are currently required in the office at least three days a week, with executives required four days, indicating no federal shift to a five-day mandate yet.
• Some Ottawa councillors, including Jeff Leiper and Ariel Troster, condemned the directive as short-sighted, citing congestion, transit reliability, higher commute costs and impacts on parents and caregivers.