Labour shortage hitting Ottawa's hospitality sector
At Fratelli’s in Kanata, the patio is full and the kitchen staff are cooking scrumptious Italian dishes, but owner Richard Valente says they’re barely hanging on.
“The last few months have been awful in terms of staffing you just can’t find people,” he said.
Before the pandemic, Valente says Fratelli’s had no issues hiring staff—either in the dining room or in the kitchen, but things are different now.
“Barely any roll in looking for jobs. Kids are looking for summer jobs, which is fine, but when August 15 rolls around and they go to university it’s going to be quite the dilemma and we’re discussing the possibility of closing an extra day,” he said.
It’s not just the restaurant industry. Staff shortages are also causing delays and lineups in every sector in the hospitality business.
A recent report from Statistics Canada shows the job vacancy rate was highest in food services and accommodation, at 11.9 per cent.
“I know hotels don’t have rooms in operation simply because they can’t service them,” said Steve Ball with the Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel Association.
Ball says managers have had to fill in for maids at times. The answer may be hiring foreign workers—but red tape and timing is a problem.
“There are workers who want to work in Canada but they can’t get here fast enough,” he said. “If you can’t get a work visa until September, it misses the season.”
University of Concordia economics professor Moshe Lander points to several factors causing these shortages and disruptions.
“Baby Boomers retiring, Gen Z-ers that don’t have work experience, COVID that has changed the way tourism food beverage work is leaving people scrambling to find what the new normal is,” said Lander.
With tourism season in Canada kicked into high gear, Valente is worried about his staff burning out.
“I don’t know I don’t think it’s going to better; it’s going to get worse and it’s very worrisome as a business owner,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
Rates of cancer declining in Canada, but more work needed to save lives: projections
A new study projecting declining rates of cancer cases and deaths in Canada demonstrates the success of prevention and early detection programs, but also highlights areas where more work is needed to save and prolong lives, researchers say.
DEVELOPING Trump trial arrives at a pivotal moment: Star witness Michael Cohen is poised to take the stand
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.
India's mammoth election is more than halfway done as millions begin voting in fourth round
Millions of Indians across 96 constituencies began casting their ballots on Monday as the country's gigantic, six-week-long election edges past its halfway mark. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third straight term with an eye on winning a supermajority in Parliament.
Ottawa pizzeria places among top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world at international competition
An Ottawa pizzeria is being recognized as one of the top 20 deep-dish pizzas in the world.