Regulatory burden crushing BC restaurant industry
They are a bellwether for business health. Restaurants in BC are hurting, which is a concern for everyone. Not only do restaurants operate on the front line of our economy but they provide the venues for much of our community’s vibrancy and social life.
“Restaurants are feeling the pain of inflation and low consumer confidence, but so are the hundreds of thousands of British Columbians they employ, and the many other economic sectors that depend on the restaurant industry to remain profitable, such as fisheries and agriculture,” said Mark von Schellwitz, Restaurants Canada Vice-President, Western Canada in a media release.
The industry lost nearly 5,000 jobs between August and September, and — outside of the pandemic years — is seeing the lowest employment level since 2016. This is the same time-frame that saw BC gain 20,000 jobs in total.
With a new BC government about to begin its mandate, the restaurant industry is calling for quick action to get rid of red tape, including:
- reducing payroll taxes and asking the feds to reduce payroll taxes for employers and workers
- returning WorkSafe BC’s $2.1 billion surplus to employers
- and implementing a Tourism and Hospitality Stream to BC’s Provincial Nominee Program.
More than 80% of restaurants report food and labour costs are their top challenges during a time of slow sales.
