More and more Canadians are returning to office since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020, a report has found.
The report, “Settling into a New Normal? Working from Home Across Canada,” by the C.D. Howe Institute states that over half of paid employees in the country have returned to work in person in the last four years. Additionally, it found Ottawa to have the most employees working from home or in a hybrid setting.
“As a result [of COVID-19], many workers have been pleasantly surprised by their ability to work from home and remain productive,” the report reads in part. “In Canada, evidence suggested most workers who shifted to work-from-home arrangements preferred to continue with hybrid arrangements after the pandemic was over.”
Urban areas topped the list of having the most work-from-home or hybrid workers, with Ottawa ranking first, followed by Gatineau, Toronto, Quebec and Montreal. Wood Buffalo, Moose Jaw and Prince Alberta reported having the least amount of employees working from home, or in a hybrid model.
“Several factors might explain these differences across the country, including population density, commuting times, and each region’s industry and occupation mix,” it says. “These factors play a role in whether work-from-home arrangements are feasible from an employer’s point of view and desirable from the employee’s point of view.”
In addition, the study found that those working in the finance and insurance industries had the largest share of work-from-home employees at 65 per cent.
“Those working from home tend to be more educated, work for large employers, and are more likely to have young children,” it reads.