We make the comment in the report that there really are no incentives in the system for departments to manage their office space well. The cost of office space is attributed to departments at the end of the year as a service provided without charge, so it doesn't really come into the budgets they manage, unless they acquire additional space over the standards of Public Works. We've recommended to government that they need to rethink how they do this sharing of responsibility, because Public Works sees itself as providing a service. So at the end of the day, who is incented to reduce office space?
On May 18th, 2006. See this statement in context.