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An independent study is being launched in Eastern Ontario to measure the impact of the federal return-to-office policy on rural communities. Led by the Change Makers Club of Canada, the process aims to collect testimonies from public servants, citizens and businesses to assess the effects on the local economy, family life and community involvement. In Casselman, Mayor Geneviève Lajoie believes that this policy penalizes workers in the region and reduces their ability to get involved in their community. For its part, the Hawkesbury and Region Chamber of Commerce estimates that a public servant could lose more than $10,000 per year in travel time, in addition to transportation costs. The results of the study will be shared with the Treasury Board to inform consideration of solutions such as the creation of regional offices.