Opinion: Return to office towers to relaunch downtown Montreal
The vaccination campaign is going well, surpassing the initial hopes of many informed observers, and Montreal has quickly moved to a yellow zone and will soon be a green zone.
This is a major step in resuming activities that will revitalize downtown and restore its previous energy. It is also the signal that many businesses were waiting for to plan the gradual return of their employees to their offices. That said, many challenges lie ahead.
THE CHALLENGES OF GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
To ensure it is acting based on facts, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) commissioned a Leger survey conducted with 1,779 respondents. The good news is that 53 per cent of workers are eager to return to the workplace. They point to the importance of reuniting with their whole team, the desire to socialize and have informal discussions, and the chance to participate in collaborative exchanges.
Also, 67 per cent of downtown workers are comfortable with the idea of going back to the office once the government authorizes it. Another interesting point is that 62 per cent of respondents who work downtown are confident that public transit will be safe in the coming months.
It will come as no surprise that a majority of workers enjoy working from home and that remote working is here to stay. They appreciate the time saved by cutting out the commute to the office. Fifty-five per cent of workers downtown would like to go back to the office two or three days a week, and over 20 per cent would like to go back for four or five days. This confirms that hybrid solutions will become common in many companies.
Given this new reality, employers need to identify efforts to promote an attractive, pleasant return to workplaces and ensure their strategies reflect the reasons remote working remains such a desirable option for their employees.
EMPLOYERS GETTING INVOLVED
The return of employees in their workplace and downtown requires everyone’s mobilization. To drive this recovery, the CCMM has received the support of the Economy and Innovation Ministry to implement the initiative “I love working downtown.”
Our goal is to rapidly deploy the necessary efforts, including the safe return of workers to offices, to restore the momentum of this strategic area for the city.
In cooperation with downtown employers, we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure a successful return to office towers. It will be done gradually, following health measures and public health directives. The survey indicates that 83 per cent of respondents trust their employer to guarantee a safe return to work, which depends on continuing the vaccination campaign. Obviously, we need to ensure that workers receive their second dose as soon as possible.
Many companies have already begun their gradual return. Starting this summer, we need to do what is required so that in the fall everyone can enjoy the advantages of a vibrant, welcoming downtown. This ambitious initiative to return to the office towers can be done only with everyone’s support and cooperation.
Merchants, employers, public transit companies, the City of Montreal, and Public Health: everyone will have a role to play in this decisive step for the future of downtown and the city as a whole. More than ever, we are calling on all actors to mobilize to restore the vitality and energy to this strategic area that make it so attractive to Montrealers, tourists, and workers.
Signatories:
Michel Leblanc
President and CEO
Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal
André Dufour
Regional Managing Partner, Montréal
Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG)
François Morin
Director General, Operations and Public Affairs, Quebec and Atlantic
BMO
Louis Vachon
President and CEO
National Bank
Kim Thomassin
Executive Vice-President and Head of Investments in Québec and Stewardship
CDPQ
Philippe Jetté
President and CEO
Cogeco
Pierre Laporte
President, Quebec, Vice Chair, Canada
Deloitte
Guy Cormier
President and CEO
Desjardins
Patrick Rioux
Director, Real Estate Properties, Shared Services
Hydro-Québec
Jean-Marc Fournier
President and CEO
IDU
Élise Proulx
Executive Vice-President, Public Affairs and Communications and Chief of Staff
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Yves Legris
President and CEO
Nvizzio Creations
Pierre Pomerleau
President and CEO
Pomerleau
Erik Ryan
Executive Vice-President, Marketing and External Relations
SNC-Lavalin
Luc Tremblay
Director General
STM
Robert Dumas
President and CEO
Sun Life Québec
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for life of prime minister who was shot
The Slovak defence minister says doctors are fighting for the life of the country's prime minister, who was shot multiple times after a political event Wednesday afternoon.
Transport Canada's UFO 'lead' planned to meet with U.S. intel officials, called info requests a 'wild goose chase'
Canada's transportation department had a UFO 'lead' who tried to 'quell' media interest and planned to meet with U.S. intelligence officials.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver handed a cell phone ticket for using points app in McDonald's drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
'The Fly' has become notorious in France after a brazen escape. What's his criminal history?
A prisoner nicknamed “The Fly” has become notorious in France overnight after a daring and bloody escape from a prison convoy in Normandy that left two guards dead.
BREAKING Ontario's 'crypto king' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Aiden Pleterski, the self-proclaimed 'crypto king' from Whitby, Ont., has been arrested in Durham Region after allegedly running a Ponzi scheme worth more than $40 million.
BREAKING Barge hits a bridge in Texas, damaging the structure and causing an oil spill
A barge hit a bridge in Galveston, Texas, on Wednesday, spilling oil into surrounding waters and closing the only road to a small island, officials said.
Person responsible for 1996 drugging of 'Titanic' crew likely not a local: Halifax police
Halifax Regional Police believe a non-resident could be responsible for the infamous drugging of numerous crew members of the 'Titanic' movie with a hallucinogenic in 1996.
Latest updates on the biggest wildfires burning in Canada
Thousands of people in Western Canada remain displaced from their homes as wildfires threaten their communities, triggering evacuation orders and alerts.
OPINION Your attention span is shrinking, studies say. Here's how to stay focused: Sandee LaMotte
Regaining your focus requires you to be mindful of how you are using technology -- a daunting task if you consider the average American spends at least 10 hours a day on screens.