Restaurants struggle to rehire as workers seek new careers

August 16, 2021

Restaurants across Canada are struggling to rehire servers and cooks as COVID-19 restrictions are gradually lifted, with many owners adjusting reopening plans or working reduced hours to eke out a profit.

The labour crunch is being blamed on several factors, chiefly a recent trend among food service workers to rethink their career paths and extended COVID-19 benefits for the unemployed. The shortage comes as job vacancies across Canada have reached their highest levels in decades, particularly in the sectors of health care, restaurants, tourism and retail, that economists warn could in turn crimp the country’s post-pandemic recovery.

The Liberal government under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been urged by business groups to terminate COVID-19 benefits, namely the $1,200-per-month Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), that have reportedly disincentivized some people to return to work.

Ottawa earlier this month extended the CRB (formerly the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB) until Sept. 25, ending just after what is widely expected to be a federal election period. The Liberals had earlier agreed to trim the CRB from $2,000 a month, but labour shortages have persisted as many people opt for new career choices or delay a return to work due to savings they’ve accumulated over the pandemic.

Source: Vancouver Sun