Some federal departments, agencies spending millions on more office time for staff

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-09-24 16:15:25.0
Tags: [National, Labour, Governance, Finance]

Thirteen federal government departments and agencies plan to spend a combined $18,720,150 to reconfigure or acquire office space following a Treasury Board directive increasing mandatory in-office work targets to four days a week for public servants and full-time for executives. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada leads the expenditures at nearly $5.7 million, followed by Fisheries and Outcomes Canada at $4.2 million, the Canada Border Services Agency at $3.9 million, and Correctional Service Canada at $1.37 million. Treasury Board Secretary Bill Matthews stated the mandate is a philosophical choice aimed at improving teamwork, while union representatives and opposition MPs criticized the spending and lack of cost-effectiveness research.