Some welcomed news, but more needs to be done to help Ontario’s struggling restaurants

TORONTO, March 24, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Restaurants Canada was pleased to see several welcomed initiatives announced in yesterday’s Ontario Budget, in particular, the province’s bold commitment to review its taxation system. Restaurants Canada also welcomes actions to address labour shortages in the skilled trade and healthcare sectors and looks forward to working with the provincial government to ensure that labour gaps in the food service sector are also addressed.

“The past few years have been beyond difficult for Ontario restaurants, an industry that was one of the hardest hit by the government’s response to the pandemic. Today, nearly half of Ontario’s restaurants are operating at a loss or just breaking even, while facing insurmountable pandemic-related debt and compounding rising costs,” said Tracy Macgregor, Vice President of Ontario. “We do welcome the budget announcement of a review of Ontario’s tax system - this has the potential to result in meaningful relief for restaurant operators and help make restaurant dining more affordable for patrons,” added Macgregor.

Like many sectors of the economy, Ontario’s restaurants are struggling to find workers. Pre-pandemic, there were 60,000 job vacancies in the foodservice sector nationwide. Today, that shortage has grown to more than 170,000 vacancies across the country. Restaurants Canada commends the government for its effort to invest in skills training and for bringing more workers to Ontario. While these actions are welcomed, more support is necessary to help struggling restaurants fill job vacancies that continue to impact the province’s economic recovery. There is an opportunity to continue to work with the Government of Ontario to construct dedicated programs and sector-specific support to address these challenging labour issues. 

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About Restaurants Canada

Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit member-based trade association advancing the potential of Canada’s diverse and dynamic foodservice industry through member programs, research, advocacy, resources and events. Ontario’s foodservice sector is a $38 billion industry, with $13 billion in food and beverage products purchased every year. As the fourth-largest private-sector employer, Ontario’s foodservice directly employs 416,100 people, and indirectly supports another 95,600 jobs in related industries. www.restaurantscanada.org

Tianna Goguen
Restaurants Canada
media@restaurantscanada.org