According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, the number of job vacancies in Canada’s foodservice and accommodation industry rose to 142,320 in December 2021. This represents a 10% increase over November, and a three-fold increase compared to December 2020.
The number of job vacancies has soared across all industries in Canada throughout 2021 due to the reopening of the economy. Foodservice accounts for roughly 1 out of every 7 job vacancies in Canada, the highest share of all industries.
According to Restaurants Canada’s Restaurant Outlook Survey, three-quarters of foodservice operators said the labour shortage has put more pressure on owners and management-level staff to work more hours. Seven out of 10 respondents said they are reducing their hours of operation.
Where they can afford to, 63% said they are raising wages to entice staff to work for them. While 19% of quick-service restaurants are looking to invest in labour-saving technology, only 12% of table-service restaurants are considering this.