Ottawa Daily Digest — 2 Jan 2026

Ontario won’t confirm enough office space for full-time return

• What happened: The Ford government says it has finished reviewing workspace but will not definitively confirm whether there is enough room for tens of thousands of civil servants to return full time.
• Key facts: return-to-office mandate begins Jan. 5; affects Ontario Public Service (OPS) employees; government completed a space review but gave no firm occupancy numbers.

Province ends remote-work option for OPS employees — timeline and scope

• What happened: During summer 2025 the province announced the end of remote-work options and ordered all OPS staff back to offices starting Jan. 5, 2026.
• Key facts: mandate applies to thousands of employees across provincial ministries; announced months in advance; implementation date: Jan. 5, 2026.

Unions and workers push back — protests at Queen’s Park

• What happened: AMAPCEO and other public-sector unions strongly opposed the phase-out of remote work and organized rallies and complaints at Queen’s Park.
• Key facts: unions argue remote work improved efficiency and work-life balance; protests occurred through late 2025; labour tensions remain unresolved.

OPP stop truck driving on three wheels, charge Hamilton man with impaired driving

• What happened: On New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) police received calls around 11:20 p.m. about a pickup emitting sparks on the QEW near Welland Ave, St. Catharines; the vehicle was stopped near Bartlett Ave, Grimsby.
• Key facts: driver is a 47-year-old Hamilton man; charged with impaired driving after registering more than twice the legal blood-alcohol limit; empty beer cans found in truck; driver’s licence suspended since 2001.

SIU investigates death after fall from Toronto apartment balcony

• What happened: The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is probing the death of a 27-year-old man who fell from a balcony late Dec. 31 while Toronto police were responding to a reported domestic incident.
• Key facts: call came about 11:30 p.m.; location near Jane St and Highway 401; officers were attempting to locate/arrest a man inside an apartment; victim pronounced dead at scene; SIU invoked its mandate because police were present.