Saskatoon hospitality industry faces staffing shortage

SASKATOON -

The sales and marketing director at the Sheraton Cavalier and James Hotel says it's been tough to hire people back into the hospitality industry after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Sheraton Cavalier Hotel is down 15-20 per cent in staffing in certain areas such as dining, front desk, lounge and house keeping, Shawna Nelson said.

Their banquet department has taken the biggest slide, down 50 per cent.

The jobs pay between $11.81 and $15 an hour depending on experience. Several of them also include tips.

"I don't think half of the people that we're trying to call back, they found other jobs, and it's unrelated to the hospitality industry," said Nelson.

Nelson, who also serves on the boards of Saskatoon Destination Marketing Hotels and Tourism Saskatoon, says it's a "big hot topic" across the city.

She believes months of instability in the industry have led people to look elsewhere.

She also points to the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB).

"That doesn't make it easy for us for sure, we have such a great summer sun out there, why not stay on CERB, till it dries up."

She says a better solution would be for the federal government to provide more subsidies for employers through the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy.

Michael Kereiff has been on CERB since the pandemic began. He also works part-time for PickNic's Catering as executive chef.

Kerieff has been an executive chef and has 22 years of experience and says no one would hire him when he was looking.

"I'm sure a place like the Sheraton would love to have me but they don't want to pay me what I'm worth."

Kerieff says he normally makes $30-35 an hour.

Colleen Christopherson-Cote, the Saskatoon coordinator for Poverty Reduction Partnership, says those who stay on CERB and don't go back to work aren't milking taxpayers.

She argues people weigh the costs of paying for transportation and childcare when considering heading back into the work force for a position that pays comparably to CERB.

"No research indicates that people choose to stay home and not better themselves or better their employment opportunities because of basic income," said Christopherson-Cote.

Exhibition Park marketing manager Kristy Rempel said it was harder this year to find staff.

The park needs nearly 600 part time employees for the eight-day Saskatoon Ex, including food vendors, ticket vendors and general employees on the ground.

It was most difficult to staff the 19+ category, which serves the Kicking Horse Saloon and grandstand area alcoholic beverages.

"We don't know for sure why they were hesitant to come back," said Rempel.

CERB is set to roll into a new recovery benefit program as of Sept. 25.

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