B.C. hospitality industry facing major staff shortages just weeks before international tourists return
B.C.'s hospitality industry is facing major staffing shortages just over two weeks before American tourists return.
Both restaurants and hotels are in desperate need of staff as current employees are being overworked, and service is compromised.
Lidia Ranallo is the co-owner of La Piazza Dario Ristorante at Vancouver’s Italian Cultural Centre. She said she has been aggressively looking to hire, but so far, has come up empty.
"I've spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on ads," Ranallo said. "It's really frustrating when you're looking for people and thinking people are looking for work and there's just nobody out there."
Ever since B.C. entered Step 3 of its reopening plan, business has more or less returned to a pre-pandemic level, Ranallo said, but staffing is far from it.
"We have a certain standard that we like to maintain, and when we can't do it, it's very disheartening," she said.
At Gastown's Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar, it's a similar story.
"We experienced July 1 when they lifted restrictions and we saw about a 40 per cent jump in sales, which is fantastic, but now we have the challenge of not having the staff to serve the customers," said president of restaurant operations Carl McCreath.
According to the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, it's a province-wide issue.
"We think we're about 40,000 people short right now," said Ian Tostenson, the association’s president.
"People left the industry because they couldn't rely on consistent hours."
Hotels are facing the same challenge, after nearly 40 per cent of the industry was either laid off or quit as a result of the pandemic.
“We've got full hotels and not nearly enough employees to service them properly," said BC Hotel Association president Bryan Pilbeam.
On Aug. 9, the Canadian border will reopen to fully vaccinated Americans, giving the industry just a few weeks to ramp up staffing.
"(In) places like Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, some of the bigger centres that aren't as busy as they're going to be, that problem is going to be exacerbated," Pilbeam said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Some customers steaming after McDonald's ends free hot drink sticker program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes end tenure in the desert with raucous atmosphere before move
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.