Or in the case of Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown, stated intentions to force city employees back to in-office work at least five days a week beginning next year. This ruling would seem to directly align with the agenda of the province’s current provincial government. Public servants are required to return to the office at least four days a week by October 20, 2025 and five days a week by January 5, 2026.
So on that fateful day of August 15, 2025, Mayor Brown delivered a deeply symbolic message. Though understanding of the province’s decision, Kamloops Accord instigator Horgans’ legacy was described as “a legacy of an accommodation.” He hopes this first step will have a “cascading effect” on other levels of public service across Ontario. It would have an impact far beyond transportation sectors of public service.
The unpredictable new policy has unleashed a firestorm of debate – especially between those who work in political unions. Our union, the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario (AMAPCEO) is fighting back. Now, they are calling on their members to sign this petition which demands the provincial government reverse its mandate. The petition went live Friday morning right after the provincial announcement.
It appears that thousands of employees have started airing their grievances about the new requirements on social media. Hundreds of posts are appearing every day, airing their grievances. Firefighters, police officers, and transit workers will be some of those directly affected by this policy shift.
Brown understood the reluctance about going through with the full-time in-person requirement. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic established remote work as the new norm. This change raised new alarms over the productivity loss possible in conventional workplaces. He remarked, “As much as there are some benefits, you don’t get the same level of productivity. The challenge was that no one wanted to be the first mover on bringing this policy back out of fear that you might lose staff.”
The mayor’s announcement is a positive step as public sector employees across the country adapt to new ways of working in a post-pandemic society. So it’s no surprise that some leaders are advocating for a return to traditional office-centric work. At the same time, some are advocating for the flexible work options that became widely embraced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
