News
Cooks, nurses, mall santas in short supply in Canada
The signs of an unprecedented labor shortage in Canada are glaring: hospital emergency rooms closed because of a lack of nurses, restaurants skipping meals, and fewer Santas in malls.
In Ottawa, a “Help Wanted” notice in the window of Corazon De Maiz restaurant — like those in storefronts across Canada — has gone mostly unanswered since the recent lifting of public health restrictions introduced 19 months ago to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
The end of Covid-19 lockdowns brought droves of customers to the capital city eatery, but with kitchen staffing levels down, the restaurant has been unable to meet the demand for burritos and tacos.
“We’re suddenly busier, but we’re having to close early because my wife and I are exhausted after working all day,” owner Eric Igari told AFP.
One new hire worked three hours and quit, saying the job was too hard for not enough pay, Igari said.
“We’ve asked friends to pitch in, and even a few regular customers offered to help,” Igari said. Two customers actually worked a few shifts.
No ‘ho ho ho’
A sign says “sorry, shortage of employees” outside of the restaurant La Panthere Verte in Montreal, Quebec, taken on November 11, 2021. Anne-Sophie THILL / AFP
Studies by the government and industry associations found that up to two-thirds of Canadian businesses are facing worker shortages, and claim the deficit is limiting their growth.
The industries most affected are health care, food services, manufacturing, and construction.
According to the latest from Statistics Canada, there were a total of 1,014,600 job vacancies in September, including 196,100 in food services and 131,200 in health care — double the numbers from two years ago.
Trevin Stratton, a partner at Deloitte Canada, said factors contributing to the shortfall include an aging population leaving the workforce and lower recent immigration due to travel restrictions — which Canada lifted in September.
Some sectors are adapting through the use of technologies such as increased automation in manufacturing, e-commerce in retail, or allowing staff to work from home.
But in others, “many workers might not necessarily yet feel comfortable working somewhere where their physical presence is required,” Stratton said.
This is particularly true in the restaurant industry, which also shed workers fed up with the cycle of lockdowns and re-openings throughout the pandemic. “They’re now looking for more stability,” Stratton said.
With Christmas just weeks away, the trend has also impacted the supply of Santa actors usually hired for photos with children on their knee at shopping malls or professional mixers.
Jeff Gilroy of Just Be Claus said he’s turned down 200 Santa gigs in Ontario. After large gatherings were banned last Christmas, he told AFP, “people are looking to have a Santa to make it a more festive Christmas.”
Catherine Lacasse of the Professional Santa Claus Agency of Quebec said her province has ample Santas, “but we’re struggling to find enough elves.”
Nurses’ Burnout
“In health care, we’ve seen an exodus, particularly of nurses this year,” Stratton said. “Some of that has to do with the stress of the job right now.”
Lachine hospital in Montreal was forced to close its emergency room at night due to a “critical shortage of nurses,” said spokeswoman Gilda Salomone.
Several others, she said, “are experiencing a major labor shortage that is limiting the quality and access to care.”
Observers have suggested simply raising salaries to lure workers.
But Jasmin Guenette of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), said this “isn’t an option for many small businesses still struggling to recoup pandemic losses.”
“We see things slowly getting back to normal, going out to restaurants, for example, and we think that means businesses are doing well. But that’s not the case. The impact of the pandemic was severe, and is still being felt,” he said.
According to a CFIB survey, the average small business in Canada racked up Can$170,000 (US$135,000) in debts over the pandemic. And an estimated 180,000 businesses, or one in six, are now “at risk of closing.”
Chez Mere-Grand restaurant in Montreal sought for 21 weeks to hire a cook and a barista. Its owner Romain Beiso explained that the hiring pool is smaller because many people now insist on a better work-life balance and job security found in other sectors.
“Our wages are not competitive because we cannot afford it,” he also acknowledged.
Over at Hotel Place d’Armes, manager Benoit Pretet worries about being short 25 staff going into the holiday season.
“The clientele is back,” he said, “but we can’t open all our rooms.”
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man, Johnson Elleh, for allegedly producing and circulating a viral video falsely claiming the presence of kidnapping and banditry activities along the Owode-Idiroko axis of the state.
The command said preliminary findings showed that the suspect deliberately fabricated and shared the misleading content to attract public attention and generate online engagement.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and made available to journalists in Abeokuta.
According to Babaseyi, the command immediately launched an investigation after the video surfaced online, subjecting its contents to scrutiny to verify the claims.
He said the findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and intentionally crafted to trigger fear, panic, and anxiety among residents.
“Findings revealed that the video was false, misleading, and deliberately designed to create fear, panic, and anxiety among members of the public,” the statement read.
The police spokesperson stated that extensive verification further confirmed that no incident of kidnapping or banditry occurred in the Owode-Idiroko corridor or surrounding communities as portrayed in the viral clip.
He added that detectives later identified the suspect after discovering that he featured in the video, leading to his arrest.
“Further investigation revealed that the suspect was featured in the video and was subsequently identified by detectives, leading to his arrest,” Babaseyi stated.
He explained that the suspect’s action was capable of causing unnecessary public tension, disrupting social order, and eroding confidence in the state’s security system.
“During the course of the investigation, the suspect reportedly confessed to intentionally creating and disseminating the misleading content to generate online engagement and public reaction,” he added.
While noting that investigation into the matter was ongoing, the command said Elleh would be charged to court at the conclusion of the probe.
The police command strongly condemned the spread of fake news, false security alerts, and other forms of misinformation capable of creating fear and confusion among law-abiding citizens.
It warned individuals and groups against publishing, recirculating, or disseminating unverified security-related information, stressing that such acts threaten public peace and would attract legal consequences.
“The Command will continue to identify, arrest, investigate, and prosecute all persons found culpable, irrespective of status or motive,” the statement added.
The police, however, reassured residents that Ogun remained safe, peaceful, and secure, urging them to remain calm and rely only on verified information released through official channels.
“The Command remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting lives and property and maintaining public order across the state,” Babaseyi concluded.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
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