Despite mandates from major companies and the Canadian federal government, workers are resisting the push to return to the office, with compliance rates remaining low and downtown foot traffic stagnant. A Stanford University study indicates that rigid policies don't significantly increase attendance, and younger CEOs are more likely to support remote work.
Morning Update: Canada’s back-to-the-office push hits a wall
Canada
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Despite mandates from major companies and the Canadian federal government, workers are resisting the push to return to the office, with compliance rates remaining low and downtown foot traffic stagnant. A Stanford University study indicates that rigid policies don't significantly increase attendance, and younger CEOs are more likely to support remote work.
Trending- 1 September 2024: Federal government imposed back-to-office policy.
- 2 Early 2024: Growth in business-district workers tapered off.
- 3 Spring 2025: Foot traffic held stubbornly steady.
- 4 April (current year): Toronto's downtown core foot traffic is 43% less than January 2020; Montreal and Vancouver hover around 50% less.
- 5 February (this year): J.P. Morgan launched its five-day in-office mandate.
- 6 Last month: Toronto-based investment firm Canaccord followed suit.
- 7 September (upcoming): Three of Canada’s Big Five banks will compel employees to return to the office at least four days a week.
- Low compliance with back-to-office mandates
- Stagnant downtown foot traffic in major Canadian cities
- Potential shift in corporate culture regarding remote work
What: Companies and the Canadian federal government are struggling to enforce back-to-office mandates, with low compliance rates among employees and stagnant downtown foot traffic.
When: Mandates imposed in September 2024; compliance data from September 2024 and January; growth tapered off in early 2024; held stubbornly steady into spring 2025; April foot traffic data.
Where: Canada (general), Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa.
Why: Employees prefer remote work; rigid policies do not significantly increase attendance; younger executives are more likely to allow staffers to work from home.
How: Companies and the government imposed mandates (e.g., 3-5 days in office); some executives have threatened consequences for non-compliance.