By Canadian Press

Canadian restauranteurs struggling to fill out staff

Aug 25, 2021 | 8:21 AM

A common refrain is emerging as restaurateurs across the country scramble to fill thousands of jobs.

That is, if the government wasn’t paying workers to stay home, the labour shortage wouldn’t exist.

But workers are telling a different story, pointing to low wages and gruelling work conditions as the biggest hiring obstacles.

The pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on restaurants, with long shutdowns that have led to more than 10-thousand eateries closing permanently.

Hundreds of thousands of food service employees lost their jobs, and some are not returning.

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As restaurateurs struggle to find enough workers to fill shifts, some suggest government income supports are deterring people from working.

Economists say several factors are contributing to the restaurant labour crunch.

They say the mass hiring spree as the economy re-opens has created intense competition for staff.

The situation is exacerbated by restaurant workers changing fields, ongoing COVID-19 concerns, fewer foreign workers and issues finding child care or summer camps.

Evolving public health recommendations and a looming fourth wave of the pandemic also make it impossible for most restaurant operators to guarantee hours, especially come this fall.

David Macdonald, a senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, says the solution to finding more workers is often increasing wages.

(The Canadian Press)