The Canada Revenue Agency will not be prepared to implement a four-day return to office by July 6, according to the union representing tax workers. The Union of Taxation Employees stated that the agency lacks adequate space in more than a third of its buildings to accommodate the increased in-office presence mandated by the Treasury Board.
Union warns of insufficient space
Marc Briere, president of the Union of Taxation Employees, told the Ottawa Citizen that the CRA is postponing its return to office. While the CRA is not part of the core public administration and thus not legally bound by the Treasury Board's directive, it has historically followed such policies. Briere noted that more than a third of CRA-occupied buildings do not have enough space for a four-day work week.
CRA's response
CRA spokesperson Etienne Biram did not deny the union's claims about office space shortages or the agency's readiness for July 6. In a statement, Biram said the CRA is actively planning for the increased on-site presence and working with Public Services and Procurement Canada to address operational needs. However, he did not confirm a July 6 timeline.
The Treasury Board announced the new policy in February, requiring most public servants to return to the office four days a week starting in July. Executives have already been required to return full-time since May 4. Several other large departments, including the Department of National Defence, Global Affairs Canada, and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, have also stated they will not be ready by the deadline.
Union calls for delay
Briere has urged the CRA to postpone the implementation and instead negotiate with the union during ongoing collective agreement talks. He suggested that exemptions could be offered to employees to mitigate capacity issues. The union's open letter highlighted that the CRA has not yet informed employees of the change, which requires at least 60 days' notice.
This situation reflects broader challenges across the federal public service as departments struggle to accommodate the mandated return to office, raising questions about the feasibility of the policy.
