Canadian office leases are getting longer, according to new data from Avison Young.

A reverse trend is occurring after lease terms suffered a “sharp drop” as the COVID-19 pandemic forced companies to adopt work-from-home policies, said the Toronto-based firm. The findings come as major Canadian office markets are grappling with high vacancy levels not witnessed in three decades.

In July, the average lease term rose to 64 months, up from 60 months in the second quarter and 56 months in the first quarter. But lease terms are well down from the average of 72 months achieved between 2015 and 2019.

As Connect reported, GWL Realty Advisors recently found that most Canadian office workers are working on employer premises. Wendy Waters, GWL’s vice-president of research, told Connect that about 96% of office employees are meeting or exceeding return-to-work requirements.

“They’re doing what they’re told, or more than that, in terms of being back,” said Waters.