"Pretty much every organization seems desperate to get its employees back into the building. Four days a week, the rule at most of Canada's Big Five banks starting Sept. 15, is practically table stakes at this point - plenty of other places have dispensed with remote work altogether. Amazon, Dell and JPMorgan rolled out their full-time in-office mandates for staff earlier this year. Rogers, the City of Ottawa and the province of Ontario will follow suit in the first months of 2026."
"You know the spiel by now: Managers contend that work just isn't the same when it's done remotely. Ottawa city manager Wendy Stephanson said last week that a full return to the office is necessary to "increase culture, innovation and relationship-building." Ontario Premier Doug Ford, applauding her decision, insisted that "it's a lot easier looking someone in the eye than sitting over a telephone or computer screen.""
Many major Canadian employers are instituting strict return-to-office rules, with banks and large companies requiring several days in the office and others moving to full-time attendance. Managers argue that in-person work improves culture, innovation and relationship-building, and political leaders endorse face-to-face interactions. Many employees resist, reporting equal productivity while working remotely, and downtown foot traffic remains about half of pre-pandemic levels. The Supreme Court of Canada has not fully restored in-person proceedings; only counsel for primary parties may enter courtrooms, while interveners and other participants continue to participate remotely via video conferencing.
Read at The Globe and Mail
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