“The hybrid job came to stay,” Mona Fortier told CTV News Ottawa. “We need to see how we can strengthen the core of our center and make sure we do not keep these offices empty.” The Fortier Division launches a “strategic policy review” of the federal public service. As outlined in last week’s federal budget, the review aims to save $ 6 billion over the next five years. Fortier said the review will ensure that government programs are effective and will look at how the government can adapt to a post-epidemic reality. Part of that, he said, is managing the transition to a hybrid workforce. “We will achieve that, and I think we also need to strengthen the nuclei in our city center and make these offices available, perhaps for community life,” he said. “We have to make sure we have a very strong core in the city center.” Many downtown office buildings in Ottawa are largely vacant as civil servants work remotely. Businesses have suffered and municipal politicians have pressured the federal government to send more workers to the city center. Some public sector union officials have expressed concern about the strategic review. The Civil Service Alliance of Canada accuses the government of burying more than $ 9 billion in possible cuts as part of the review. Fortier countered those concerns Monday. “This is a smarter government, not a smaller one,” he said. “It’s about fiscal responsibility… and gaining value for taxpayers’ dollars.” Last month, Fortier gave federal departments the green light to welcome more employees back to the office. Each department manages its own plan to increase the occupancy of the buildings. In a subsequent statement, Fortier’s office said it would take time to reconsider any possible changes. “While the government has begun to gradually increase the occupancy of buildings, some remote work is here to stay. Where practically feasible, federal workplaces are switching to hybrid work models. There is no one-size-fits-all approach. And you will experiment. “under the guidance of the Secretariat of the Finance Council, so that each department can find out which combination of distance and office work best suits their mandate,” the statement said. “While it will take time for this change to take place, we must ensure that public assets are used productively in the long run.”
UNION HYBRID MODEL MAINTENANCE SUPPORT
One of the largest public sector unions in the city says its members support maintaining the hybrid working model. “Hearing the minister say they will move forward in this way will be exciting for our participation,” said Jennifer Carr, President of the Professional Civil Service Institute of Canada (PIPSC). “Of course, each department has its own strategy to ensure that this is done in a consistent and fair manner for all civil servants, that there are no unjustified demands on people who prevent them from working. house or a hybrid state. “In terms of equality in employment and diversity, we need to ensure that people who work from home have the tools and technology to do it effectively.” Carr said she was not worried about possible cuts. “The words used by the minister were reassuring, that he is looking for a smarter government, not a smaller government. “Our civil servants have shown that they can work efficiently and effectively for the last two years without affecting services to Canadians.”
WATSON “ACTIVATED” BY A PROPOSAL TO CONVERT OFFICES IN A HOUSE
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson says the idea of converting offices into homes is interesting and could be a boon to the downtown economy. “I was intrigued by the minister’s comments about converting some office buildings that are not as full as they used to be with civil servants,” he said. “I think this is a really innovative way to keep people downtown and support local businesses at the same time, and give civil servants that choice of hybrid model.” Support for local businesses was a major reason for Watson’s previous calls to bring federal workers back to downtown. He says living with more people in the city center could help. “There is no doubt that the lack of employees in the city center, not only federal civil servants but also the private sector, is damaging our commercial base and our small businesses. I really appreciate the minister’s comment on the conversion of buildings that may be half empty into houses because we need more housing, more affordable housing. “It makes more people live in the city center, which will help businesses, so it’s a win-win.” The chairman of the city’s transit committee says the city’s transit system – designed to bring workers from the suburbs to the city center – needs to be adapted to support the people who live and work there. “One of the first things I would like to see us do is improve transit through Kanata, Barrhaven, Orleans,” said Coun. Alan Humble. “If they work from home, their needs are different.”
