This section is Presented This section was produced by the editorial department. The client was not given the opportunity to put restrictions on the content or review it prior to publication. by HAVEN HOME HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING Health care workers in Kingston argue that a hybrid model with some remote work days is preferable to being in the office full-time. Jan 05, 2026 • Last updated 6 days ago •
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees march along John Counter Boulevard to protest the Ontario government’s return-to-office mandate in Kingston, Ont. on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. Photo by Elliot Ferguson /The Whig-Standard
KINGSTON – A small group of Canadian Union of Public Employees members braved Monday’s snow to demonstrate against the Ontario government’s return-to-office requirement.
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Four workers at health-care offices for the Ontario government located in City Place walked along John Counter Boulevard as part of their protest against this change.
The Ontario government set Monday as a deadline for its employees to resume full-time office work after nearly six years of working remotely due to COVID-19.
However, unions representing these workers are opposed to returning full time five days a week.
“Everybody had to change their life when COVID happened. We were forced to work from home,” said Kingston CUPE member Kelly Golden. “Everybody had to alter their life, find child care; they had to make an office in their home; figure all of that out. It’s worked for six years.”
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The unions are asking for a more flexible hybrid model that would let employees work from home part-time during some days each week.Golden mentioned that there isn’t enough space available in Kingston offices for everyone all at once when required back at work daily.
“Some care coordinators don’t have assigned desks when they come into work,” she explained.” If there are no desks available they have go up to everyone else’s desk trying to figure out if anyone is working there.”
“Some have literally got to walk around looking for somewhere to sit,” she noted.” That time could be better spent helping our patients who need care.”
The up-to-fifteen centimeters of snowfall hitting the Kingston area on Monday showed another advantage of allowing staff to work remotely during such weather conditions.
“It also allowed us to work through storms easily,” Jennafer Mc Ginn stated.
In contrast, with school buses canceled locally, many provincial workers had trouble getting into work late as they took their children to school.
The return-to-office requirement also has economic effects too, she pointed out.
“A lot of us live north of Kingston, so I bought my groceries in Sydenham at Food Land; now I’m coming into town five days a week, I’m going over to Costco and Walmart,” Mc Ginn said.
“The government pushed spending towards larger chains instead of supporting local businesses.”
The mandate forcing workers back into offices isn’t applied evenly throughout this region either,” Golden remarked.” Health-care personnel located in Belleville, Napanee and even parts within Kingston experience different working arrangements: some can continue remote work while others must show up five days each week.”
“This inconsistency makes things frustrating,” Golden added
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