Ontario civil servants can work remotely on some World Cup Toronto game days: gov’t

TORONTO — Ontario’s Treasury Board says public service employees may be allowed to work remotely during daytime FIFA World Cup matches in Toronto, following union calls for more flexible work options during the tournament and criticism of the government’s return-to-office mandate.

Liz Tuomi, a spokesperson for Treasury Board President Caroline Mulroney, says the province expects the Ontario Public Service to be in the workplace five days a week, but managers “can approve ad hoc, occasional or temporary remote work requests to provide short-term flexibility” for situations like World Cup day games scheduled for June 12 and June 26.

This comes after OPS unions advocated for alternative work arrangements during the soccer tournament, citing concerns about increased congestion, ongoing construction and disrupted sidewalk access.

A group of unions representing government workers, including the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the Association of Management, Administrative and Professional Crown Employees of Ontario, wrote a joint letter to Secretary of Cabinet Michelle DiEmanuele asking for a temporary remote work arrangement for all employees working in Toronto from June 8 to July 3.

The City of Toronto had also recommended to organizations in the downtown core to consider adjusting work schedules and allowing remote work where possible to minimize the need for travel, as the city prepares to host an estimated 300,000 visitors during the World Cup.

Last August, Mulroney announced all public service employees would return to in-person work five days a week by January 2026, a move unions said was made without consultation.

Thousands of government employees have made requests for alternative work arrangements since the mandate took effect.

AMAPCEO, the union representing professional employees, said that of 5,500 members who made such requests, 365 received responses that it’s aware of and only nine were approved.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2026.

Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press