Ottawa·NewOttawa’s city manager says improving workplace culture was the key driver behind a decision to end hybrid work for municipal employees, amid criticism from a union and some city councillors who say the decision was “politically motived.”All city employees required to work in office 5 days a week as of Jan. 1, 2026Ben Andrews · CBC News · Posted: Aug 27, 2025 4:33 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoAll municipal employees will be required to work five days a week in the office as of January 2026. (Michel Aspirot/CBC)Ottawa’s city manager says improving workplace culture was the key driver behind a decision to end hybrid work for municipal employees, amid criticism from the union and some city councillors who say the decision was “politically motived.”City manager Wendy Stephanson announced the move Tuesday in a memo to Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and council.The change will require all municipal employees to work five days a week in the office as of Jan. 1, 2026. It comes a week after Premier Doug Ford ordered provincial government workers back to the office full-time by January, and encouraged municipalities to do the same.Currently, 85 per cent of municipal public servants in Ottawa are already working in-office and the change would only affect about 2,600 workers, according to the city.City manager Wendy Stephanson says the decision was made to improve workplace culture and encourage innovation. (Jean Delisle/CBC)”You get feedback from staff, and admittedly that feedback is mixed in terms of coming into the workplace versus not coming into the workplace,” Stephanson said after Wednesday’s council meeting.”But the feedback that is consistently heard is around the relationship building and how great it is to be in the workplace and continue to build those relationships.”Stephanson said her decision followed the example set by other large corporations, including other municipalities, and was based on improving culture, encouraging innovation and delivering the best possible service to residents.’Disappointed and shocked’But a union representing municipal professionals in the Ottawa region called the decision “political,” arguing it was made to appease Ford.”It’s particularly disappointing to see Mayor Sutcliffe — because, make no bones about it, this is political — to see Mayor Sutcliffe and the city leadership following in Premier Ford’s footsteps,” said Peter Bleyer, executive director of the Civic Institute of Professional Personnel (CIPP).Both Sutcliffe and Stephanson stressed the decision to send workers back to the office falls with the city manager alone.Nevertheless, earlier Wednesday, Ford praised Sutcliffe for the return-to-office mandate.Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is ‘proud’ of Mayor Mark Sutcliffe for the policy change. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)”I spoke to him the other night. I’m very proud of him and the mayor’s doing a great job there,” Ford said at an event in Inglewood, Ont. “You need to follow suit and all other regions across Ontario — it’s time to bring people back to work.”Bleyer, on the other hand, said union members were “disappointed and shocked.”Bleyer said the union received only brief verbal notice from the city about its plans to “undermine” the existing hybrid work model and weren’t consulted on the decision, which violates their collective agreement.Stephanson said she will continue to have discussions with the union.”I appreciate that change can be difficult,” she said.Councillor questions timingSomerset Coun. Ariel Troster said she’s already receiving letters from city employees raising frustrations about the end of hybrid work and concerns about unreliable transit and congestion.She said some city councillors regularly call into meetings, and working remotely doesn’t impede their ability to participate.”If that’s something that’s true for councillors, I don’t understand why it shouldn’t also be true for city staff,” she said.Troster added she is deeply suspicious about the timing of the announcement, speculating it was politically motivated.Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said he didn’t notice a decline in productivity under the hybrid work model.”You’re asking people to dig into their household budgets to find money for more parking and longer commutes and more gas,” Leiper said, referring to the return-to-office mandate.
‘Relationship building’ major impetus for end of hybrid work, city manager says
