OTTAWA — A working group established to measure productivity within Canada's federal public service has not yet addressed the issue of remote work, according to member Bea Bruske, who is also the president of the Canadian Labour Congress. She mentioned that remote work "is not part of anything that we’ve discussed at this moment" and expressed uncertainty on whether it would feature in the group's study.

The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which initiated the study, has not provided clarity on whether remote work will be a focus area, despite growing concerns among public servants following a mandate requiring them to return to the office at least three days a week starting in September 2024.

Martin Potvin, a spokesperson for the Treasury Board, indicated that the group "will explore a wide range of issues and opportunities" based on the members' areas of expertise. This comes amid rising discussions about productivity and the work environment in the public sector.

Maria Gintova, an assistant professor at McMaster University’s department of political science, criticized the group for not considering remote work in their productivity analysis. "I think it’s an integral component of any kind of productivity study or any kind of future human resource planning," Gintova stated, citing that this ignored component could have negative repercussions. She also referenced a recent study published in the International Public Management Journal, which discovered that only eight out of 56 departments in Canada's federal and provincial governments had conducted substantial analyses of employee productivity and telework prior to rolling out their post-pandemic telework policies.

So far, the study group has convened for two meetings and plans to hold several more throughout the winter season. A final report containing recommendations is expected to be submitted to the Treasury Board president by the end of March 2025.

The initiative was launched by former Treasury Board president Anita Anand last year. She noted that the task force would examine various issues such as the adoption of technology, the size of the public service, interrelations between public and private sectors, and the broader decline in productivity within the federal government.

According to the Government of Canada website for the initiative, the study aims to analyze how productivity is measured in other countries, with an eye toward enhancing productivity within Canada’s public service and improving service delivery to Canadians. The working group comprises former government officials, academics, and researchers.

Bruske emphasized her commitment to ensuring that workers' perspectives are not overlooked while striving to enhance public sector productivity. She noted that the group is currently focused on understanding how to quantify productivity rather than addressing specific solutions at this stage. "We haven’t carved out any one particular thing," Bruske mentioned, adding that the group's scope includes the entire public service as well as Crown corporations.

In contrast, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared his views on public servants working from home, stating during a Radio-Canada interview that the key issue is not the work location but whether tasks are completed. He criticized the effectiveness of federal employees and called for clearer assignments and monitoring to ensure work completion. Additionally, he advocated for reducing the size of the federal public service, arguing that Canada currently employs too many bureaucrats.

This report was first published on January 26, 2025, and outlines the significant discussions occurring around productivity, remote work, and the wider implications for public service operations in Canada.