Today\u2019s Fall Economic Statement was a missed opportunity by the federal government to build on the positive momentum the GST and HST holiday has generated for the foodservice industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The GST and HST holiday provides much needed temporary relief for restaurants, which have been battered by rising costs and low consumer demand over the past year. Restaurants Canada\u2019s Chief Economist conservatively estimates the tax break will generate an additional $1.5 billion in sales for the restaurant industry. This influx of cash is especially important during the usually slow January and February period. It will allow restaurants to pay down debt, give their hourly staff more hours and invest in wages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But restaurants need more long-term measures that address their labour and affordability concerns and create a promising economic environment for them to grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Labour shortages will continue to challenge the foodservice industry in 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurants Canada continues to call on the federal government for a comprehensive plan to address labour shortages and tap into Canada\u2019s existing labour pool in the wake of major changes to the immigration system. There are currently 78,000 vacant jobs across our industry. It was disappointing to see no movement on this file in the Fall Economic Statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nearly 1 million unemployed newcomers currently hold open work permits in Canada. These newcomers face significant barriers to employment and Restaurants Canada has been advocating for a matching and training program to connect them with jobs in industries like foodservice, particularly in regions outside the major metropolitan centers supporting remote, rural and tourist communities. We are also asking the government to work with the foodservice industry on strategies to attract more Canadian workers, especially youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Long-term solutions to the rising cost of doing business needed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bankruptcies in our industry increased by 45% in the first eight months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. In fact, 53% of restaurants are operating at a loss or barely breaking even. At the same time, total food costs increased by 25%, insurance by 24%, utilities by 20% and labour costs by 18%. With profit margins typically between 3% and 5%, it has been hard for operators to absorb these cost increases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The federal government can provide long-term relief to our industry and to the 1.2 million workers we employ by reducing Employment Insurance payroll taxes by 2%. In fact, nearly eight in 10 Canadians (77%) said they would benefit from government reducing payroll taxes in a recent public opinion poll conducted by spark*insights on behalf of Restaurants Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurants Canada will continue to advocate for these and other measures with all political parties in 2025 and push them to do the right thing for our industry as they prepare their political platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n — Kelly Higginson, President and CEO, Restaurants Canada<\/p>\n\n\n\n L’\u00c9nonc\u00e9 \u00e9conomique de l’automne pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 aujourd’hui a \u00e9t\u00e9 une occasion manqu\u00e9e par le gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral de tirer profit de l’\u00e9lan positif du cong\u00e9 de TPS et de TVH pour l’industrie de la restauration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n L’exon\u00e9ration de la TPS et de la TVH offre un r\u00e9pit temporaire bien n\u00e9cessaire aux restaurants, qui ont \u00e9t\u00e9 frapp\u00e9s par la hausse des co\u00fbts et la faible demande des consommateurs au cours de la derni\u00e8re ann\u00e9e. L’\u00e9conomiste en chef de Restaurants Canada estime de fa\u00e7on prudente que l’all\u00e9gement fiscal g\u00e9n\u00e9rera 1,5 milliard de dollars de ventes suppl\u00e9mentaires pour le secteur de la restauration. Cet afflux de liquidit\u00e9s est particuli\u00e8rement important pendant la p\u00e9riode habituellement calme de janvier et f\u00e9vrier. Il permettra aux restaurants de rembourser leurs dettes, d’accorder plus d’heures \u00e0 leur personnel horaire et d’investir dans les salaires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mais les restaurants ont besoin de mesures \u00e0 plus long terme qui r\u00e9pondent \u00e0 leurs pr\u00e9occupations en mati\u00e8re de main-d\u2019\u0153uvre et de capacit\u00e9 financi\u00e8re et cr\u00e9ent un environnement \u00e9conomique prometteur pour leur croissance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n La p\u00e9nurie de main-d\u2019\u0153uvre continuera de poser un d\u00e9fi au secteur de la restauration en 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Restaurants Canada continue de demander au gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral d’\u00e9laborer un plan pour rem\u00e9dier \u00e0 la p\u00e9nurie de main-d’\u0153uvre et de mettre \u00e0 profit le bassin de main-d’\u0153uvre existant au Canada \u00e0 la suite des changements majeurs apport\u00e9s au syst\u00e8me d’immigration. Il y a actuellement 78 000 postes vacants dans notre secteur. Il est d\u00e9cevant de ne voir aucune avanc\u00e9e dans ce dossier dans l’\u00c9nonc\u00e9 \u00e9conomique de l’automne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pr\u00e8s d\u2019un million de nouveaux arrivants d\u00e9tiennent actuellement un permis de travail ouvert \u00e0 travers le pays, sans \u00eatre en situation d\u2019emploi pour autant. Ces nouveaux arrivants sont confront\u00e9s \u00e0 d\u2019importants obstacles \u00e0 l\u2019emploi et Restaurants Canada pr\u00e9conise un programme de jumelage et de formation pour les mettre en contact avec des emplois dans des secteurs comme la restauration, en particulier dans les r\u00e9gions situ\u00e9es \u00e0 l\u2019ext\u00e9rieur des grands centres m\u00e9tropolitains qui soutiennent les communaut\u00e9s \u00e9loign\u00e9es, rurales et touristiques. Nous demandons \u00e9galement au gouvernement de collaborer avec le secteur de la restauration sur des strat\u00e9gies visant \u00e0 attirer davantage de travailleurs canadiens, en particulier les jeunes et les groupes sous-repr\u00e9sent\u00e9s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nD\u00e9claration de Restaurants Canada sur l’\u00c9nonc\u00e9 \u00e9conomique de l’automne du gouvernement f\u00e9d\u00e9ral<\/h2>\n\n\n\n