Doerkson says ‘preference’ is for B.C. public servants to return to office work

British Columbia’s incoming premier says his “preference” is to see teleworking public servants return to the office environment.

But in a wide-ranging interview on his government’s priorities, B.C. Conservative Leader and Premier-Designate Lorne Doerkson left the door open for flexibility on remote work.

“I think there is probably always going to be a hybrid sort of feature going forward,” Doerkson said.

“But certainly my interest would be having people come back for sure.”

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In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, B.C.’s public service opted to officially retain flexible and work-from-home arrangements in a bid to attract a greater variety of workers.

In 2023, it announced that all public service jobs would be open to “any B.C. community where the hiring ministry has an existing office,” and support flexible and remote work arrangements.

At the time, public service head Shannon Salter said the idea was to recruit employees who work everywhere in the province, not just Vancouver and Victoria.

That contrasts with provinces like Alberta and Ontario, which have recently mandated a return to full-time, in-office work. Federal public servants were directed to return to the office four days a week in July.

B.C. General Employees Union president Paul Finch told CBC News that he was “a bit concerned” by Doerkson’s comments.

Finch said remote work has been a cost-saving measure for the province, allowing it to reduce its real estate footprint and recruit workers at a lower cost in communities with a lower cost of living.

“It also really benefits a lot of small town B.C.,” Finch said.

“You have a lot of civil servants working remotely in smaller communities, and they’re a key economic driver in those communities. We are talking about former resource communities that no longer have that inflow of money.”

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Finch said the union welcomes a conversation about changes to remote work, but said any changes should be deliberate and cautious.

“We will have those conversations,” Doerkson said when asked about public sector workers in rural and remote communities.

“But my preference would be obviously coming back to workplaces.”

Doerkson is expected to be sworn in later this month, after the provincial election results are finalized on Nov. 18.