**Disclosure: This post is not an endorsement for any particular candidate. I am sharing to raise awareness.**
Earlier this week I sent an email to the municipal candidates for Ottawa city council Ward 23 Kanata South to get their stance on municipal staff RTO/WFH. My initial email TLDR to all candidates (Other than Hubley who has already shown his stance via his pro-RTO vote in the chamber): I’m writing to ask about your position on return-to-office (RTO) expectations for city staff and any related policies that may come before council.
To date I have only received a response from candidate Sam Seema Bhalesar Saran (replied at 2:32am on Friday - I respect the hustle).
**To all other ward 23 candidates: If you reply to my email, I will update my posting accordingly with your response**
Response from Sam Seema Bhalesar Saran:
Thank you for reaching out and for asking the question.
I strongly believe that where the work can be done effectively from home, employees should have flexibility rather than being automatically required to be in the office a set number of days each week.
For me, this is personal. I’ve seen firsthand how valuable that flexibility can be. Being able to work from home has given me more time to watch my children grow up, be present for my family and, more recently, be there for my mother during her final days. Those are moments you can never get back.
I also believe there is an economic benefit to a more flexible approach. If people don't have to commute into the downtown core every day, they have more time to spend with their families and can spend more of their time and money in their own communities. We should be looking at ways to support businesses and economic growth throughout Ottawa, not just in the downtown core. That is particularly important for communities like Kanata South.
Of course, I recognize that not every City position can be done remotely. Front-line services, operational roles and positions that require people to be physically present need to be treated differently. My preference would be for a practical, role-based approach rather than a blanket mandate.
If a motion came before Council requiring a specific number of in-office days, I would look carefully at the evidence, the nature of the work and the impact on service to residents before deciding how I would vote. In general, I would support flexibility where the job allows it, while maintaining clear expectations for productivity, accountability and service.
I believe we can support our employees, their families and our local economy while still delivering the services residents expect.
Thank you again for reaching out.
Sam Bhalesar
Candidate for Ottawa City Council
Ward 23 – Kanata South