The Department of National Defence (DND) is urging employees at its Carling Campus in Ottawa to work from the office only two days a week—Mondays and Fridays—as the military grapples with persistent parking shortages at the facility.
The complex, designed to accommodate 10,000 staff, currently has only about 5,000 parking spots, leading to widespread frustration among military personnel and public servants. Recently, military police ordered the towing of 13 vehicles belonging to government workers and military staff. Recovering a towed vehicle costs at least $400, according to a message sent on April 29 by Colonel Jeff Toope, commander of Canadian Forces Support Group (Ottawa-Gatineau) and base commander of Canadian Forces Base Ottawa-Gatineau.
Encouraging flexible attendance
In the internal message, Toope stated: “To support better parking availability and workplace flexibility, (Canadian Forces Support Group Ottawa-Gatineau) Operations encourages teams to consider shifting in-office attendance to Mondays and Fridays, rather than concentrating primarily on Tuesdays through Thursdays.” He also encouraged carpooling or using alternative transportation to reach the campus.
Mid-week days see the highest demand for parking at the DND facility. However, the federal government has announced that public servants will be required to return to the office four days a week starting in July 2026, as reported by the Ottawa Citizen in February. Toope’s message did not address how employees would manage parking under the new mandate, noting only that “options are currently being explored to increase parking capacity, however, this will take time.”
Growing anger among employees
Defence insiders report that anger over the parking situation is widespread, with public servants questioning why no solution has been implemented since the issue first emerged around 2019. DND spokesperson Nick Drescher Brown explained that peak parking demand typically occurs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with lots often near capacity. “During these periods, many employees have parked illegally wherever space appears available, including on grassy areas along roadways or at the ends of parking rows,” he said. “While we acknowledge and appreciate employees’ frustration, illegal parking is unsafe. We have no choice but to tow.”
Military staff and government workers can purchase a monthly parking pass for $75, but even pass holders are not guaranteed a spot. Employees report a daily scramble for parking, with some resorting to parking on grass or in non-designated areas. DND is exploring options to increase parking capacity, including leasing additional lots and planning a parkade, but these solutions will take time.
