Ottawa Braces for Commute Chaos as Federal Workers Return to Office Four Days Weekly
Traffic congestion, extended waits for OC Transpo services, and significantly longer commute times are anticipated for public servants as they prepare to return to the office four days each week this summer, according to transportation observers and city officials.
Federal Mandate Sets Stage for Transportation Challenges
Last week, the federal government announced that public servants must return to the office four days weekly starting July 6, while executives will be required to work on-site full-time beginning May 4. This policy shift is expected to bring a surge of commuters back to Ottawa's roads and public transit systems, potentially overwhelming already strained infrastructure.
The reality of this transition includes congested roadways, expensive and overcrowded parking facilities, and buses and trains operating at maximum capacity, carrying not only public servants but also other daily riders who depend on these transportation networks.
OC Transpo's Race Against Time
The city's beleaguered transit system now faces a critical few months to address persistent operational issues before the summer influx. The east-west O-Train line continues to struggle with mechanical failures, while a bus shortage—caused by delayed electric bus deliveries and an aging diesel fleet—has severely impacted reliability metrics.
Glen Gower, councillor for Stittsville ward and chair of the city's transit committee, expressed cautious optimism about the timeline. "If everyone in the public service was returning to the office five days a week today, I would have some concerns," Gower stated. "But regarding whether OC Transpo will have the capacity in July when that four-day transition occurs, I wouldn't be concerned about the July date."
Infrastructure Improvements and Fleet Expansion
Gower pointed to several developments that should help mitigate potential transit crises. Dozens of new buses are expected to arrive over the coming months, and there is a clear pathway to resolving LRT capacity issues before the four-day office mandate takes effect.
Sixty additional electric buses are projected to be operational by March or April, which Gower believes will "help relieve some of the pressure" on the transit system. Furthermore, an aggressive recruitment campaign has begun to address a mechanic shortage of approximately 40 positions, with applications increasing in recent weeks.
Looking further ahead, fifty new articulated buses are scheduled for delivery by the end of March 2027, with the first arriving by late June this year. Transit advocate Laura Shantz, who serves on the Ottawa Transit Riders board, believes these deliveries will "ameliorate" the situation and restore service levels "to where we were."
Long-Term Transportation Investments
The city has committed several million dollars to implement additional bus priority lanes and traffic-signal priority systems throughout the year. While these improvements won't be ready by July, they represent ongoing investments in Ottawa's transportation infrastructure.
Gower emphasized that by July, both the bus and train networks should be in significantly better condition to handle the increased demand from returning federal workers. However, the transition period will undoubtedly test the resilience of Ottawa's transportation systems as thousands of public servants resume their regular commutes.
