Some people in Nova Scotia's hospitality industry say finding and training employees is chief among their concerns for when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions begin to lift.
Michele Bianchini has spent more than 30 years working at the Cambridge Suites in Sydney.
"A lot of our employees ... weren't able to wait those 15 months and have [sought] other employment," said the hotel manager.
"They've gone somewhere else because they had to."
Bianchini made the comments at a Cape Breton Regional Municipality council meeting Wednesday.
Hotels 'are really hurting'
Bianchini said hotels "are really hurting" due to COVID-19, noting Cambridge Suites has 144 rooms, but regularly sells around eight rooms a night.
She said a great deal of planning must be done to accommodate an influx in visitors, and to make sure COVID-19 safety protocols are followed.
"Our business can't work from home," Bianchini said. "We need people."
She said what's been hammering the industry is that hotels are still paying fixed costs.
She suggested an action plan to council to help recruit and train new people to work in the industry.
Council was told the restaurant industry was also facing similar challenges.
"Staffing and recruitment will be a cost as well," said Natasha Chestnut, a marketer with the Restaurant Association of Nova Scotia. "A lot of employees have left the industry throughout the last year, and many are not returning."
She said restaurant owners are preparing for restrictions to remain for some time, such as reduced hours and less customer seating.
Chestnut said the association suggests local governments remove or relax red tape for restaurant regulations, such as patio permit fees.
She said many restaurants in the province are reporting an average decline of 30 per cent in sales.
"Sales have taken a major, major hit, well below the 2019 levels," said Chestnut. "We predict, or know, that 2021 probably isn't going to look much better than 2020."
Chestnut said restaurateurs are also carrying mounting debt because of having to keep doors open during the pandemic.
"We're in a second lockdown, it's a third closure for some, so the expenses, they still go on while the restaurants are closed," she said.
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2021-05-27 10:18:06Z
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