Treasury Board minister says he’s not aware of pests in federal office buildings

OTTAWA — Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali says he’s unaware of the presence of pests in federal office buildings.

Responses to a House of Commons order paper question revealed last month that pests have been reported in dozens of federal buildings since 2020, including sightings of mice, rats, bats and bedbugs.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Ali said it was the first time he heard about the problem.

“If it’s heath and safety, I take it very seriously and I will be asking my team to look into that,” he said.

While the management of federal office buildings falls under Public Services and Procurement Canada, the presence of pests has been reported widely by public servants and federal unions for years.

NDP MP Heather McPherson, who submitted the order paper question, said the government is not respecting the rights of workers by sending them back into “unsafe or unproductive” working conditions.

Ali made the comments while at a press conference to discuss the government’s recently tabled legislation to reduce red tape in the federal bureaucracy.

The government is looking to amend 31 laws and regulations administered by 11 federal departments and agencies. The amendments would cover a range of sectors, including agriculture and food, fisheries, mining, telecommunications and transport.

Ali said the amendments could, for example, help farmers access financing and make it easier for food producers to reach international markets.

The federal government said last year it found almost 500 ways to streamline regulations and cut costs following a 60-day red tape review exercise.

As part of the review, departments and agencies published reports identifying measures to make them more efficient and eliminate complicated or redundant regulations or processes.

Ali said Thursday the government estimates changes outlined in the bill could result in savings of at least $264 million over 10 years for both the government and private sector.

The Treasury Board has said that no specific metrics, assessments or studies were developed to support its decision to require federal public service workers to be in office for four days a week as of July 2026.

“The Government has put forward an ambitious agenda to deliver on its priorities for Canadians and to strengthen the country,” the department said in another order paper response last month.

“Increasing on-site presence is intended to reinforce the strong teams, collaboration, and culture required to deliver on the government’s agenda during this pivotal period and over the longer term.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 8, 2026.

Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press