Sault employers struggling to find staff

As the economy recovered from COVID-19, unemployment numbers in Sault Ste. Marie are also showing signs of improvement.

Some employers are even having difficulty finding workers, especially in the hospitality sector.

"It’s actually about three times as many online job postings as there were last year at this time," said Jonathan Coulman, Algoma Workforce Investment Corp. executive director.

"So, we’re talking between 2,000 and 3,000 job postings across Algoma, but a lot of those are in Sault Ste. Marie. So, the challenge for people is finding people to work."

Rory Ring, CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce, said finding staff is the No. 1 issue facing the local hospitality sector. He said repeated shutdowns during the pandemic are likely to blame.

"That really makes employment in those industries very risky because you don’t know whether you’re going to be working for two weeks, three weeks or six months," said Ring.

He said the industry once looked at higher wages as a means of attracting staff, but rising costs are making that difficult.

Rebecca Sawyer, manager of Shooters Downstairs Lounge, said she’s been able to hold on to her staff through good labour practices.

"I was very, very fortunate to walk in these doors with all 17 of my employees -- I didn’t lose anyone," said Sawyer.

"I can’t say that over the course of those two years we didn’t have to have discussions where they said 'I might not be able to come back.'"

Sawyer said despite recent challenges, there will always be a need for the hospitality industry, and it will survive in the long run.

"I think it’s definitely going to come back to where it should," she said.

"I don’t think that there’s really anything to be scared of when it comes down to getting into this industry. I mean, if you’re looking for a full-time job, it might not be ideal right this second, but it will be."