Hospitality industry faces staffing shortages amid peak tourist season
Even though the hospitality industry has seen a surge in business this summer with restrictions easing, the same cannot be said when it comes to finding and keeping staff.
On a sunny Sunday, customers line-up at Waterfront Pizza and Wraps shop on the Halifax waterfront – a sign of business bouncing back.
But numbers are still far from pre-pandemic levels.
"Last year, during the first stages of COVID we were down about 30 per cent in the year 2020, compared to 2019," says owner Kevin Doucette.
“This year we’re at 60 per cent.”
Hotels and restaurants in the Maritimes are starting to see a boost in business with relaxed restrictions and tourist traffic, but with staff shortages throughout the region, these hard-hit industries are struggling to keep up with demand.
The president of the Saint John Hotel Association, Jasmine Mosher, says starting this summer, but over the last two weeks especially, hotel bookings have been on the rise – but staffing issues have made it hard to capitalize on that.
"We’re trying to take advantage of the business and the increase in business," says Mosher. "But the problem is that staffing is also a challenge, so we’re not able to take advantage of the busy season at the moment."
According to the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia, over the last few weeks, sales in the industry have been relatively strong.
But executive director Gordon Stewart says because it’s being driven by the peak travel and tourism season, it’s unfortunately only temporary.
“The long term, is there’s still lots of road bumps ahead of us,” says Stewart.
"Certainly the sales are going to drop off towards the end of September and October, and that’s going to put everybody in a tight strain right back into the springtime.”
Stewart says the industry was already facing a shortage before the pandemic, and it’s become a major problem.
“In particular in the kitchen area, we’re short red seal chefs, chefs, cooks, line-cooks, anyone in the kitchen, and that’s now spread to the front of the house,” says Stewart.
Stewart says that in general, it takes restaurants two to three years longer than other businesses to rebound from an upset in the marketplace, which means that this industry may have a long road ahead to recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.