Simcoe County businesses struggle to fill thousands of job vacancies
Business owners across Simcoe County are looking to hire, with thousands of jobs available but very few takers, with rising inflation, gas prices and the housing crisis helping to block the way.
"If you can't afford to live in Barrie at those lower-paying jobs, you know, what do you do?" said Barrie Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Paul Markle.
"Everywhere you go, there's a help wanted sign," Markle noted. "I think it's going to be like that for a while."
A report by the County found nearly 12,000 job postings for more than 3,700 companies in April, most in the service-based industry.
"It has been damn-near impossible to find people for working in the Roadhouse, even part-time, full-time," Chuck's Roadhouse manager John Smith said they opened the doors four weeks ago, and finding help has been a significant problem.
"Everywhere is having the same issues," he added. "When you have a quality individual that walks through the door, you have to grab them right away and take full advantage because they may not come back."
- RELATED
- Restriction-free summer camps return with staffing shortages
- Here's how former churches will help solve the housing crisis
- Food bank demand spikes as many seek support for the first time
"Everybody's looking for somebody," added Allan Lafontaine, Orillia Chamber of Commerce.
Barrie Mayor Jeff Lehman said the issue is impacting businesses across the board.
"I'm hearing it in manufacturing, in construction, skilled trades, so this is a problem across the economy."
He believes the solution is immigration.
"We need more people to come to our country. To come to Ontario, and to come to our region, because our population is not growing all by itself anymore."
Many businesses have resorted to shortening hours, putting managers and owners on the frontlines, and pausing expansion plans because of the labour shortage.
Advocates for local businesses say conditions need to change to get everyone working to keep the economy going.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.