Question Period Note: Easing of restrictions and planning a safe return to the workplace

A large proportion of the public service has transitioned to working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Government offices remain open and have been maintained for essential and critical workers to support Government of Canada efforts nationally. This situation is now evolving as some key service functions are incrementally increasing their presence in offices while remaining guided by regional public health agencies.

• Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is committed to providing its clients and employees with healthy and productive work environments
  • While social-distancing and telework provisions are reducing general occupancy rates in our buildings at this time, we recognize that, in the future, occupancy levels will begin to increase
  • Preparatory measures for building re-occupancy are underway such as the maintenance and operation of building water systems, adjusting Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to promote occupant wellness, and preparing workspaces to reflect physical distancing measures
  • We continue to consult with bargaining agents, liaise with the Treasury Board Secretariat for employer guidance and Health Canada to determine appropriate cleaning and building maintenance protocols for our buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Return to the workplace will have a significant telework component with a gradual increased office presence
  • We continue to improve network infrastructure and bandwidth, and have been providing employees with mobility tools such as laptops, mobile phones and virtual collaboration platforms to ensure continued program delivery

If pressed on Government building HVAC systems spreading COVID-19:

• We are committed to providing our building occupants with productive and healthy workplaces
• The department continues to ensure that building systems including HVAC systems are properly operated and maintained to ensure healthy work environments
• Air that is distributed into the occupied spaces by central HVAC system(s) promotes appropriate air circulation and the removal of fine particles that are suspended in the air
• In response to COVID-19 we have implemented additional HVAC measures to enhance occupant wellness in our buildings. These measures are in keeping with industry guidance and consultation with Health Canada

PSPC continues to expand its body of guidance to departments to support them in their plans for increased occupancy of workplaces.

Workplace resumption plans are being elaborated based on the client’s nature of work, the functions to support services provided to Canadians, and the current configurations of workplaces. The implementation of key practices include physical distancing for workstations, gathering rooms, and pathways for circulation within the work areas along with enhanced sanitation measures for workers including hand sanitizer and wipes for workspaces supported by guidelines recommended by the public health authorities. Further, as other key employment infrastructure elements progressively resume, such as small businesses, schools and daycares, progressive back to work strategies will continue to require balancing office work with teleworking, sustaining and improving network infrastructure and bandwidth, and providing employees with access to mobility tools such as laptops, screens, mobile phones and virtual collaboration platforms to ensure continued program delivery.

Next steps

The department continues its engagement with central agencies, clients and our bargaining agents to collaborate on guidance. PSPC will also continue to advance procedures to ensure healthy and productive work environments for the resumption of occupancy in our buildings as guidance evolves.

Media article on the spread of COVID-19 through ventilation systems

A National Post article referenced a Chinese study that was done on individuals who contracted COVID-19 while at a restaurant. The restaurant had a wall mounted air conditioning unit above a table with infected individuals that was blowing high velocity air into the rest of the restaurant.

Such high velocity air could transport and spread droplets that are released by infected individuals near the air conditioning unit beyond a 2 meter area of physical distancing. The mode of transmission for infection in this case is droplet spread that was influenced by the high velocity air from the wall mounted air conditioning unit.

Unlike the air conditioning system referenced in the Chinese study, the HVAC system(s) in PSPC buildings are centrally located and do not distribute air into the occupied zone at high velocity. The air that is distributed into the occupied spaces by the central HVAC system(s) promotes appropriate air circulation and removal of fine particles that are suspended in the air.

In response to COVID-19 PSPC has implemented the following additional HVAC measures to enhance occupant wellness in our buildings.

These measures are in keeping with industry guidance and consultation with Health Canada:

• Increasing the amount of outdoor air being provided to the space above code requirements
• Increasing the hours of operation of the HVAC systems to promote increased dilution of contaminants and improved air circulation that promotes removal of fine particles
• Ensuring appropriate temperature and humidity levels in occupied spaces to promote occupant comfort and wellness
• Ensuring appropriate filtration is installed
• Ensuring that there is no potential cross contamination between washroom exhaust air and ventilation airflow