Suburban work hubs for public servants could become more common
Union agrees with concept, but expresses health and safety concerns
As Ottawa contemplates the future of its downtown and the role of federal public service workers in it, the federal government could begin offering employees more flexible workspaces in the suburbs.
On page 213 of the 2022 federal budget, the government suggested workforce strategies could include "more virtual or remote work arrangements" going forward to save billions of dollars going forward.
This mindset began before the COVID-19 pandemic, as Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) has been mulling and implementing coworking spaces for more than four years.
One such example is the "GCcoworking" program, which launched in September 2019.
The program "provides secure sites for workers to access internal networks, video conferencing equipment, boardrooms and other amenities without having to commute all the way to their traditional office space."
This was initially meant for employees whose traditional workspaces were undergoing major renovations, but their use has expanded in the last few years.
Of the five sites listed by the government in the National Capital Region, four are situated outside of the core of Ottawa-Gatineau: River Road near the Ottawa airport, Legget Drive in Kanata North, Place d'Orleans Shopping Centre, and boulevard de la Cité in Gatineau, Que.
The other is downtown at Laurier Avenue West and O'Connor Street.
Union has concerns
The head of one of Canada's major federal public service unions says the GCcoworking program is a good concept, but has concerns.
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) president Jennifer Carr worries federal departments will use the hubs as justification for requiring employees to return to offices in person.
"If you're just asking me to go into a location just because you want … people in the workplace, that doesn't give good value," she said.
Carr also questions whether these office spaces match the government's goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions from commutes and ensuring workers are treated with integrity and respect.
Issues such health and safety, accessibility and ergonomics are also on Carr's mind when it comes to these hubs.
While PSPC is responsible for the hubs, they are available to employees of several departments who report to different directors. Carr said that risks potential delays when work needs to be completed.
"We want to make sure finger-pointing doesn't prevent an issue from being resolved in a timely manner," she said.
Could help revitalize downtown, says real estate agent
According to the Ottawa commercial real estate firm Real Strategy, about half of the office space in downtown Ottawa is owned or leased by the federal government. Many cubicles and offices remain empty as workers from several departments rarely come downtown for work as of late 2022.
Some business owners are concerned about the current lack of public sector office workers downtown, but real estate agent Wesley Stinson says there's a flip side if working from home or suburban coworking spaces continues to be more common.
"I see it as a positive change," said Stinson. "This is part of a bigger trend that will see the revitalization of the core."
WATCH | Hubs for public servants could be a 'positive change':
An important element of that revitalization, he added, is converting existing public service offices into housing and less reliance in the downtown of a single employer.
"There's going to be a greater diversity of tenants in the downtown core, in terms of the types of businesses, and also therefore in the types of employees, and I see this as a positive effect," he said.
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