Rumours of a sweeping five-day-a-week return to the office are circulating within the federal public service, pointing to a dramatic shift from the flexible hybrid model adopted since the pandemic. The speculation stems from a leaked internal Treasury Board document, which outlines a potential plan for a much more rigid and structured attendance schedule.
Leaked Document Fuels Speculation
The core of the current concerns is a PowerPoint slide leaked on December 1, 2025, and reported by La Presse. This internal government document provides the clearest indication yet that the federal government may be preparing to significantly tighten its hybrid work policy. The plan suggests a stepped rollout that would eventually mandate a full-time return to federal offices, potentially as early as 2026 and firmly in place by 2027.
Senior officials reportedly believe that increasing in-person work could foster better collaboration and improve overall productivity. However, this potential move represents a stark departure from the current model and has not been officially confirmed by the Treasury Board.
Unions Voice Strong Opposition and Seek Clarity
Public sector unions are reacting with alarm to the rumours and are demanding immediate transparency from the government. The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), one of the country's largest public sector unions, has formally asked the Treasury Board to address the "persistent rumours" of a full-time office mandate.
Sharon DeSousa, President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), stated she has seen the leaked slide circulating online but has received no official confirmation. She condemned the idea as "reckless, costly and completely out of touch." DeSousa cited issues such as deteriorated office infrastructure, along with wider concerns about plummeting morale, impacts on productivity, and challenges in recruiting and retaining talent if such a strict policy were implemented.
Government Stance and Broader Context
In response to the growing speculation, the Treasury Board has maintained that "nothing has changed" and that the current hybrid directive remains official policy. Officials have neither confirmed nor denied the authenticity of the internal documents cited in media reports. The existing policy requires most federal employees to be in the office a minimum of three days per week, with many executives expected on-site for four days.
This federal debate is happening against a backdrop of similar decisions by other levels of government. The province of Ontario ordered its public servants back to the office full-time starting in January 2025, a move shortly followed by the City of Ottawa. These decisions have increased pressure on the federal government and heightened expectations that a stricter attendance model may be forthcoming for federal employees as well.
The potential shift raises significant questions about the future of work in the public sector, urban economies in government-centric cities like Ottawa, and the work-life balance of hundreds of thousands of federal workers across Canada.