While Canadian employees are settling into new remote working patterns, regional disparities reveal different experiences across the country, according to a new report by the C.D. Howe Institute.
It found by the end of 2023, 26 per cent of employees worked at least part of their week from home. However, the likelihood of working remotely varies significantly depending on where employees live and the type of work they do. For example, while 35 per cent of Ottawa-based employees said they work entirely from home, just 12 per cent of employees in Saskatchewan said they work from home in any capacity.
Industries such as finance, insurance and professional services are leading in remote work adoption, said the report, noting 65 per cent of employees in finance and insurance have some form of work-from-home arrangement.
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It also highlighted the relationship between commuting times and remote work adoption, noting there are higher rates of remote working in regions with longer average commutes, such as Toronto, where 35 per cent of employees said they work from home.
Moreover, education plays a significant role in determining who works from home, with workers holding a bachelor’s degree or higher (37 per cent) much more likely to have remote working opportunities than those with lower levels of education, such as a trade certificate or high school diploma (10 per cent).
The report also called on policymakers to take note of the growing demand for flexible working arrangements and to adapt provincial labour standards and infrastructure accordingly, including improved high-speed internet access in rural areas and updated employment standards to address hybrid and remote work environments.
“As more Canadians embrace hybrid work, we need to ensure that workplace policies are evolving to support this shift,” said Tammy Schirle, an economics professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and the report’s author, in a press release. “From occupational health and safety regulations to digital infrastructure, there’s a lot to consider in supporting this new normal.”
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