Ontario Premier Doug Ford regularly worked from home in January, even as civil servants were ordered back to the office five days per week.
A copy of the premier’s itinerary obtained by Global News using freedom of information laws shows that over five weeks from early January, Ford took many meetings at his house or virtually.
Beginning Jan. 6 this year, civil servants were told they must be back at the office full-time, a move Ford pushed as necessary to improve work quality and collaboration.
“I believe everyone’s more productive when they’re at work,” Ford said in August 2025. “How do you mentor someone over the phone? You can’t. You’ve got to look at them eye to eye or at the watercooler.”
Caroline Mulroney, the president of the treasury board, backed the sentiment, saying returning to work five days per week “represents the current workforce landscape” in Ontario.
Over the first month that civil servants were mandated back full-time, however, Ford regularly worked remotely.
On Jan. 14, for example, the premier headed to an event held by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario in downtown Toronto, where he took a “daily issues and media update” meeting over Microsoft Teams.
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By 11:30 a.m., Ford was back at his Etobicoke home for a briefing on the rollout of a new recycling contract in Ontario.
He then met with his housing minister over Microsoft Teams and spoke to the governor of Kansas online around 4:30 p.m. The rest of the day was marked as personal and private.
Dave Bulmer, the president of AMAPCEO, representing thousands of civil servants, said Ford had shown why civil servants should be able to work from home.
“I think he’s demonstrating exactly what my members did successfully for three and a half years, which was to work two out of five days from a remote location,” he told Global News.
“Even when you’re at the senior-most levels, there’s always an opportunity where virtual work and its flexibility will be useful to you. That, I think, transcends right to the premier.”
On Jan. 23, Ford appeared to work entirely from home, with staff travelling to Etobicoke to attend meetings.
At 9:30 a.m. he had a daily briefing followed by three meetings with Labour Minister David Piccini and various unions. His final meeting took place at 12 p.m. and the rest of his day was marked “private.”
A few days later, Prime Minister Mark Carney came to Ford’s home for a meeting, followed a few days later by the Ukrainian ambassador.
In total, between Jan. 6 and Feb. 5, Ford took meetings at his Etobicoke residence on nine days.
“I think he has reasons to do it — so do some of his employees,” Bulmer said of the premier’s remote work days. “I guess he sees the need for the balance and we’re supportive of that because it applies to everybody who’s a civil servant.”
The premier’s office told Global News Ford was working in his home riding because the legislature was not in session
“When the house isn’t sitting, the premier takes meetings in his home community, just like every other member of provincial parliament,” they wrote in a short statement.
The government delayed the return of the legislator by weeks at the start of the year, also shaving more than a month off the fall sitting.
Despite being told to head into work full-time, Bulmer said space constraints meant many civil servants are still actually at home.
“The reality for my members is that large portions of them are not back in the office four or five days a week because there’s not enough space,” he said.
“They’ve been given what is referred to as ad hoc approval to continue to work remotely or in hybrid fashion.”
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Here’s the difference: Ford was ELECTED. That means the public can decide in the next election if they think Ford is doing enough work. These other people are not, so there is no recourse the public (whom they serve) can take if their work is not sufficient or is somehow substandard as a consequence to being at home watching reruns on Netflix all day.
He’s a 2-faced liar. Do as I say not as I do, I’ll be laughing in my billion dollar jet while people go broke and health care crumbles.
It was my understanding that we were paying for empty offices. It makes sense to fill them. He is one person.
I appreciate that the comment section is either, Ford is a Liberal; Ford is a hypocrite; and government employees need to go to the office! I had a bit of a laugh at the last one as it clearly shows that the leader of the province even knows that working in the office isn’t really necessary. So take the tax savings (of which are in the billions per year) and get the added productivity. Accountability and collaboration (in many cases) are the same if not better when working from home. Productivity is objectively better, for the majority of the roles in the public service.
Take the Win people!
They aren’t Liberals. They are the Progressive Conservative party. Own it. Just like the disasterous Harris government. Stupid decision after stupid decision.
I’m tired of folks calling the progressive conservatives as CONSERVATIVE
They are not CONSERVATIVE. They are liberals. A big difference between both parties. To me that is election interference by knowingly call the PCs CONSERVATIVE. They are not…
Why is ford haven high value meetings at home
Sounds fishy, what is wrong with haven them at the taxpayer office. Question, is there something that can’t be discussed in the office
Ford is the total opposite of what he says he is
I agree with Doug as employers have a right to determine the working terms and conditions of employment and it’s about time he invoked them. You must be pretty immature if you feel Doug does not work from his home daily so don’t bother making yourself look like your IQ is smaller than your shoe size
Government employees need oversight and accountability. Im so sick of them whining about it. And sick of global news giving them a platform for their whining
What does it say about the current state of democracy when expecting a politician to lead by example absolutely reeks of naivety.
I remember when he won because of the scandal from Wynn but now Doug’s scandal is even worst. Keetle pot black
Dougie being corrupt while WFH is crazy work
And he never came in after hours or on weekends when there was urgent business?
So just to be clear, working mothers need to work 5 days but Ford doesn’t.
Ford removed traffic cams after his staff was caught speeding.
Ford eroded our democracy through freedom of information acts after he got caught multiple times breaking ethical rules.
He backed major corporations or small mom and pop shops during the pandemic.
Refuses to properly fund social services while simultaneously taking in thousands in public wages and private interests through government contracts he gave himself….
This is clearly a pattern of abuse of power.
And conservatives will justify it all.
Dougie windbag always looks like how I think someone possessed by a demon would look . I’d imagine he sold his soul long ago , so……….
I think our premier would be more effective in the office and should be meeting people face to face instead of hiding behind a screen.
More deception from the conservatives. Who would have guessed.
Mark Carney has attended 28 of 96 question periods in his FIRST YEAR.
See? I can cherry pick unfavorable statistics too…
there was space for the workers before covid….and after not???how come
We knew about carney going to Ford’s cottage but his home. followed by the Ukrainian ambassador??
Be interesting to see what was discussed at the “home” meetings….meetings at his house???
Dougie is our own, fat inept trump.
Fords motto do as I say not as I do. Regardless, the only reason they started working from home was because of Covid, so oh well go back to the office 5 days a week if that’s where you were working before covid, unless you had a hybrid model of work when hired.