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VIDEO: Doug Ford hates it, but remote work might be COVID’s one silver lining

Tonight on Village Media's 'Closer Look' podcast: The Premier is pushing hard to get all civil servants back to the office — including city workers — but there are plenty of pros and cons to consider

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Premier Doug Ford is on a mission to get civil servants back into the office — and that includes city workers, too.

Just days after his government announced that Ontario public servants will be required to return to the office full time by January 2026, Ford urged municipal leaders to bring an end to remote work and order staff back to the office five days a week.

"This decision reflects what we are seeing in business across the province," Ford told a crowd of hundreds on Monday, during a speech at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference.

VIDEO: The pandemic is long over — get back to the office

Not everyone agrees with Ford's logic. In a letter released Friday, five union leaders representing the province's public service workers called the move "a return to the Stone Age." Others point to research that suggests remote workers are actually more productive than their in-office counterparts.

Alex Gallacher, managing director of Engage HR, broke down the pros and cons during a recent appearance on Village Media's new Closer Look podcast. You can watch the full episode HERE.

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Podcast hosts Scott Sexsmith (left) and Michael Friscolanti, Editor-in-Chief of Village Media.

Hosted by Village Media’s Michael Friscolanti and Scott Sexsmith, Closer Look is a new daily podcast that goes way beyond the headlines with insightful, in-depth conversations featuring our reporters and editors, leading experts, key stakeholders and big newsmakers.

New episodes of Closer Look drop every Monday to Friday at 7 p.m. across the Village Media network, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Have something to say? You can reach us at [email protected].



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