At least one federal government department is assessing how much space it would need to bring public servants back into the office five days a week. Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), the government's property manager and central purchaser, has studied the challenges and realities of implementing a full return-to-office mandate for its own employees.
The analysis is detailed in a series of heavily redacted presentation slides obtained by the Ottawa Citizen through an access-to-information request. According to a high-level assessment described in the slides, PSPC anticipates more than 20 of its work sites would not be able to accommodate staff at existing workstations if public servants were sent back to the office five days per week, a policy known as RTO-5.
Regional Disparities in Implementation
The RTO-5 will not be uniform — it will be a tale of different realities by regions, one slide reads. In some areas, it will require a significant increase in the footprint that may lead to an implementation timeline between (information redacted). PSPC did not disclose the estimated timeline, citing a clause in Canada's access-to-information and privacy (ATIP) law allowing the government to withhold information that includes advice or recommendations developed by or for a government institution.
Challenges for Ottawa-Gatineau
The documents included a slideshow dated Nov. 27, 2025, titled 5-day work week office site assessment. The purpose of the assessment was to outline the current challenges and realities of implementing a five-day return-to-office (RTO) for the department. It applies to PSPC workers only and does not relate to the department's role as a common service provider for the rest of the government.
The analysis considered the space needs of the department depending on whether workstations were assigned or unassigned. For the scenario with unassigned stations, the number of required work spaces was reduced to account for absenteeism. Based on its office portfolio and headcount at the time, PSPC estimated it would not be possible to accommodate staff at existing work spaces at 24 out of 45 sites. And in 10 of 26 cities, PSPC offices would not be able to accommodate RTO-5. At those locations, the work space deficit would be greater than 15 per cent, according to the analysis.
At five of 45 sites, a full return-to-office was deemed possible with pressure, meaning the deficit could be as high as 15 per cent. At 16 sites and in 12 cities, the department would have a surplus of workstations.
PSPC did not answer questions from the Ottawa Citizen by deadline. The findings highlight the significant logistical and spatial challenges that a full return-to-office mandate would pose for federal departments, particularly in regions like Ottawa-Gatineau where government office space is already under pressure.
