Federal organizations to spend more than $18 million on return-to-office

OTTAWA – Federal government departments and agencies are planning to allocate over $18 million to encourage employees to return to the office more frequently. In response to a question from NDP MP Heather McPherson, 13 federal organizations disclosed their respective budget allocations for reconfiguring or acquiring office space to facilitate the increased in-person workdays.

The spending estimates range from $1.37 million for the Correctional Service of Canada to $5.7 million for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. Fisheries and Oceans Canada plans to spend $4.2 million, while the Canada Border Services Agency anticipates costs of $3.9 million. Some organizations disclosed no costs associated with the return-to-office policy, while others were still assessing the expenses. Public Services and Procurement Canada indicated it was still evaluating the overall costs.