P.E.I. businesses struggle to find employees for tourism, construction seasons
It’s a tough time to be a business owner looking for employees, that’s particularly true for those gearing up for the peak tourism and construction seasons on Prince Edward Island.
The island is facing a labour shortage.
Robert Godfrey, Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce CEO, said this is the time of year when tourism businesses go on a hiring blitz, but many owners are coming up empty-handed.
“They’re working the front lines themselves, they’re doing whatever they have to in order to keep their businesses going,” said Godfrey. “In front of what’s going to be a great season, really, in terms of numbers, on the tourism side in particular.”
He said owners are offering perks to try and get employees to choose them.
“Some people are paying more, some people are doing flex hours,” said Godfrey. “They’re looking at retention, they’re looking at how they can attract employees.”
The worker shortage isn’t new. It existed before the pandemic, but it’s gotten worse.
The construction industry on the island is booming but is stifled by a lack of employees.
“Because we’ve seen such a boom in the industry in the past two years,” said Alicia Packwood of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of P.E.I. “The dockets of work is much higher than it was, so it’s not just filling the normal vacancies, it’s increased vacancies that they’re trying to fill.”
She said owners are taking on projects two and three years out. The same number of jobs are getting done, but customers are waiting much longer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Former Air Canada employees among suspects identified in gold heist at Pearson airport: police
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
'$6.66 per day': Advocacy groups disheartened by funding in budget for disability benefit
Advocacy groups across Canada are expressing widespread disappointment about the amount of funding earmarked in the 2024 federal budget for the long-awaited Canada Disability Benefit.
BREAKING Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter banned from NBA
Toronto Raptors player Jontay Porter has been handed a lifetime ban from The National Basketball Association (NBA) following an investigation which found he disclosed confidential information to sports bettors, the league says.
Earthquake jolts southern Japan
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 hit southern Japan late on Wednesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency, without issuing a tsunami warning.
MPs summon ArriveCan contractor to the House to be admonished in rare parliamentary display
Enacting an extraordinarily rarely used parliamentary power, MPs have summoned an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon to be admonished publicly for failing to answer their questions.
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
Gas prices across Ontario expected to climb to levels not seen since 2022, analyst says
Ontario is going to see a big jump at the pumps later this week as gas prices in the province hit levels not seen in nearly two years, according to one industry analyst.
Ancient skeletons unearthed in France reveal Mafia-style killings
More than 5,500 years ago, two women were tied up and probably buried alive in a ritual sacrifice, using a form of torture associated today with the Italian Mafia, according to an analysis of skeletons discovered at an archeological site in southwest France.
Paul McCartney and John Lennon’s sons have released a single together
A new Lennon and McCartney collaboration is the last thing anybody expected.