Help Wanted: Business owners grapple with staffing shortages

Barrie, Ont. -

Businesses across central Ontario continue to grapple with staffing shortages as the pandemic rolls on.

Help Wanted signs can be seen on the doors and windows of many establishments as staff wears thin.

Several businesses in the Barrie area have had to reduce operating hours to adjust to limited employees.

A sign outside a popular ice cream shop in Thornton reads, 'The world is short-staffed, please be kind to those who showed up.'

The Parlour Ice Cream shop owners, Brenda and Rick Coletta, said they have been working seven days a week and rely on high schoolers to keep the business afloat.

"There's uncertainty with people wanting to be in an enclosed space. That's the first challenge. And, obviously, there are benefits out there, and some people may have opted out to take the benefits," said Coletta.

The restaurant industry isn't alone when it comes to staffing shortages.

Georgian College Career and Employment Services has over 100 open positions, including forklift operators, receptionists, and early childhood educators.

Gloria Evans, community liaison for the college, said that it's not just the government benefits causing the surge in vacant positions. She said many people are simply waiting for the right opportunity to fit their needs.

"What we're seeing now is definitely a job-seekers market versus what used to be known as an employer market," said Evans.

She noted that many industries are competing for employees, with many people testing the market rather than pouncing on a position.

"People who were laid off in retail are now retraining and investing in education for themselves because they are looking for a more sustainable career," she explained.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking for the City of Orillia.

It's currently searching to fill several crossing guard positions just days before the bells ring on the new school year.

"We do not have enough crossing guards at this moment to cover all 14 crossings," said Nancy Wilding, the City of Orillia Health and safety officer.

Wilding said the lack of stability created the issue during the last school year leading some employees to retire and others to find new jobs.

The city said if it can't fill the three remaining positions before Sept. 7, it will deploy crossing guards to the busiest areas and place warning signs at the crossings left unattended.

More information on how to apply with the City of Orillia is available here.