As the federal government’s return-to-office mandate takes fuller effect this month, Casselman Mayor Geneviève Lajoie says rural communities like hers are being left to absorb the fallout of a policy they had no say in shaping.

The Government of Canada announced its intention to increase on-site presence for federal employees on February 5, 2026. Since May 4, executives eligible for hybrid work have been required to be in the office five days a week.

As of July 6, all other eligible employees are now required onsite four days a week, though Deputy Ministers may stagger implementation depending on their department’s workplace capacity.

According to the federal government, the goal of the policy is to boost organizational performance and strengthen team culture. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat held four engagement sessions with bargaining agents ahead of the rollout, addressing issues like accommodation, exceptions to onsite requirements, and workplace health and safety.

Those discussions also led to assigned seating for most employees, to be phased in over time. The government says existing supports, including the Employee Assistance Program and the Duty to Accommodate directive, remain in place for employees who need them.

The mayor’s response

Lajoie says her issue isn’t with the return-to-office concept itself, but with how it was implemented and who was left out of the conversation.

“It’s not that I oppose the mandate,” she said. “I think different levels of government need to start working better together and collaborating (…) there are still managers managing these local teams that are out of province. So it’s inconsistent to start off with.”

She points to a disconnect between the Treasury Board’s policy and the reality faced by federal employees and their managers, many of whom already work across provincial lines.

She argues the shift to remote work during the pandemic reshaped how rural communities function, with families building their lives through daycare arrangements, transportation, and budgets around it. Reversing that quickly, she says, is straining households without giving them time to adjust.

“With this return to work through COVID, these virtual remote work options were developed, and around that society kind of developed new resources and services around that lived reality,” she said. “Ripping the band aid off and mandating these people back to the office with no time to establish new services like daycare, transportation, etc. is putting a lot of strain on these families locally. The emotional, social, and psychological effect is something that needs to be recognized as well.”

Lajoie also raised concerns about the financial toll on commuters, citing rising gas prices and, in some cases, steep parking costs near federal offices in Ottawa. She said some employees have described working in cramped or unconventional spaces, including basements, due to limited office capacity, which is a consequence, she said, of some federal office space being converted to housing in recent years.

She believes the ripple effects extend beyond individual households to the local economy, as commuting residents have less time and money to spend at local businesses.

Lajoie also pointed to strain on Ottawa itself, noting that some city councillors have raised concerns about increased traffic congestion affecting emergency response times for services like fire and paramedics. She cited conversations with commuters, including a nurse who described added stress from longer commutes on top of shift work.

Regional advocacy

Lajoie says she brought a motion forward to the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) this year, seconded by Russell Township Mayor Mike Tarnowski, directing the counties to gather data supporting the case for rural inequity under the new policy. She said a response from UCPR is still pending.

She’s also working with the Change Makers Club of Canada (CMC), an organization gathering testimony from public servants, residents, and local businesses on the policy’s effects on family life, community involvement, and the local economy. The group’s findings will be compiled into a report intended for presentation to the Treasury Board, with the aim of informing potential solutions such as regional federal offices.

Residents interested in the club can reach out to their representative, Eli Rose, by email at info@solutionsforyou.ca.

What Lajoie wants to see

Asked what she would propose in an ideal scenario, Lajoie said the priority should be direct consultation with affected communities rather than a one-size-fits-all mandate.

“It’s not about what I want, it’s about what the community is faced with, and what they need,” she said. “Our rural counterparts shouldn’t be investing in the urban core. We need to keep our money in our economy.”

For federal employees in Casselman weighing whether to relocate closer to Ottawa, Lajoie said she empathizes with the difficult position they’re in, and encouraged residents who want to be part of pushing for change to come forward.

“Nobody in the municipality of Casselman will ever be pushed aside as long as I’m here,” she said.