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
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.