Ontario Liberals propose four-day work-week pilot project if elected in 2022
The Ontario Liberals say they will launch a pilot project to “analyze the potential for a four-day work-week” if elected in June 2022.
Leader Steven Del Duca announced the proposal Sunday afternoon during a keynote address at his party’s Annual General Meeting, citing research being done in other countries such as New Zealand, Japan and Spain.
“I want us to understand if it has merit here,” Del Duca told the party in the public address. “We’re a party that believes in science, expertise and evidence-based decision-making and so I want us to gather the facts in an open and transparent way.”
“Let me be clear, improving the way we work does not mean that people don’t want to work hard.”
A four-day work week would allow employees to work the same number of hours over four days instead of five, resulting in a longer break period between shifts.
One company in Ontario has already implemented the practice after a testing period, saying it helped prevent burnout and had a minimal impact on productivity.
"The truth is that it was instantly impactful on our business," Jamie Savage, CEO and founder of Toronto-based recruitment company The Leadership Agency, told CTV News Toronto earlier this month.
Employees with The Leadership Agency still receive the same pay and number of vacation days per year.
Savage said that while the policy may not be possible for all industries, she noticed her employees were happier and more productive.
For Del Duca, he noted the pandemic has changed the way most people do their jobs, with many now working from home.
“People want the chance to work hard and work meaningfully, without their job having a brutally negative impact on families, mental health, the environment and quality of life,” he said. “We need people in Ontario, particularly the next generation of workers, to believe they can live happy lives and pursue rewarding careers right here.”
Del Duca added that his government will soon be releasing other election policies that will “reflect the new realities of our workforce.”
According to an Angus Reid poll released in June 2020, just over half of Canadians would support a four-day, 30-hour work week. The poll found that 53 per cent of respondents thought it was a “good idea.”
Trials run by Reykjavík City Council and the Iceland government found the idea an “overwhelming success,” with productivity either remaining the same or improving while “dramatically” improving the wellbeing of workers.
Ontarians head to the polls on June 2, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Pearson gold heist suspect arrested after flying into Toronto from India
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Justin and Hailey Bieber are expecting their first child together
Hailey and Justin Bieber are going to be parents. The couple announced the news on Thursday on Instagram, both sharing a video that showcases Hailey Bieber's growing belly.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Debate on abortion rights erupts on Parliament Hill, Poilievre vows he won't legislate
A Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre would not legislate on, nor use the notwithstanding clause, on abortion, his office says, as anti-abortion protesters gather on Parliament Hill.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
B.C. man used Bobcat as 'weapon' while chasing away homeless people, judge says
A B.C. man has been convicted of assault with a weapon after using a skid-steer Bobcat to chase two homeless people from his lawn, injuring one of them in the process.
'Nobody should be getting away with murder': Grieving mother speaks out after son killed in North Preston, N.S.
A grieving mother is speaking out after her 36-year-old son was shot and killed in North Preston, N.S., Wednesday night.