Thousands of jobs added in B.C. in June, but not enough for struggling tourism industry
Posted July 9, 2021 11:56 am.
Last Updated July 9, 2021 11:57 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — B.C. helped power a big boost in employment around the country last month, but those within the tourism industry worry there is still a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Statistics Canada released new numbers for June, showing an additional 42,000 jobs were added in B.C. The provincial unemployment rate now sits at 6.6 per cent, with a sharp rise in part-time employment in the accommodation and food services sectors since March.
According to Statistics Canada, the increase is primarily being seen in young people resuming work at restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and more. But unfortunately it’s still not enough to fully help the struggling sector, says Walt Judas with the Tourism Industry Association of BC.
Related Articles:
- Canada’s job market rebounds slightly in June
- B.C. campsites now open to anyone outside the province
- Vaccinated Canadians have questions, concerns as they prepare to travel again
Judas says operators would like to get back to business, but in order to do so they need to find more people right now. He says many people are giving businesses various reasons as to why they are hesitant to return to work.
“It’s the combination of things. People choosing to stay home because they are still receiving some government assistance, it’s people afraid to re-enter the work force and encounter guests for health and safety reasons, [and] some people have taken jobs in other sectors.”
He says there just isn’t enough people to fill the jobs that are available, as B.C. has an aging population and a declining youth population, making it even more difficult for businesses to get into full gear.
The Tourism Industry Association is working with the provincial government possible incentive programs, such as living subsidies, that would help employees with their rent, but nothing has been decided at this point.
He says step number one is reaching out to people who have been furloughed, but then the industry will need to ramp up its efforts to attract new employees through marketing campaigns.
The Canadian economy saw a jump of 231,000 jobs in June, the national jobless rate dropped to 7.8 per cent. The number of Canadians working from home fell by nearly 400,000 to 4.7 million.
