Ontario public servants were reminded to report to the office during a major snowstorm that shut down highways, schools and child-care centres across the Greater Toronto Area, renewing criticism of the province’s return-to-office mandate.
CTV News Toronto obtained an internal email sent Thursday morning to some staff within the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, reiterating the government’s five-day-a-week, in-office requirement. The message was circulated around 9:30 a.m., as up to 40 centimetres of snow fell across the region and officials urged residents to stay off the roads.
The email thanked employees for their “flexibility” but clarified expectations during inclement weather, stating that staff were still required to attend in person. Workers facing difficult travel conditions were told they could arrive later or leave earlier, or otherwise use a vacation day if unable to come in. While the message said employee safety was important, it emphasized maintaining in-office work requirements.
The storm caused widespread disruption. Environment Canada issued rare orange alerts warning of hazardous travel. Toronto police closed sections of the Don Valley Parkway, the Toronto Zoo shut down, six city-run child-care centres closed, and multiple school boards and universities cancelled in-person classes. Ontario Provincial Police reported roughly 200 crashes across the GTA within a day.
The Ford government said managers already have discretion to approve short-term remote work during extenuating circumstances, including severe weather, and that no province-wide directive was issued.
Unions representing Ontario public servants strongly criticized the approach. Dave Bulmer, president and CEO of the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario, said employees should not be forced to choose between their safety and their jobs and called for a formal inclement-weather policy similar to those used by school boards.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union acknowledged that some workers were permitted to work from home, but said the storm exposed contradictions in the policy. Amanda Usher, chair of the OPS Unified Central Employee Relations Committee, said some employees worked remotely without issue while others faced heavy workloads on site, calling the situation unacceptable.
The controversy comes months after the province required roughly 60,000 Ontario Public Service employees to return to full-time, in-office work starting in January. Union leaders argue the storm highlighted that remote work can be implemented safely and effectively during emergencies, and that clearer, worker-centred policies are needed for extreme weather.