Alberta's food services suffered during last COVID-19 shut down: StatCan
The province's food services industry took a big hit during the last shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the latest data from Statistics Canada.
The report, released last week indicated that Alberta suffered the heaviest losses in the country because of the closure of indoor and outdoor dining on May 10.
"The increase in sales at limited-service restaurants (+0.6 per cent), special food services (+1.5 per cent) and drinking places (+1.6 per cent) were not enough to offset the decline at full-service restaurants (-3.2 per cent). Eight provinces reported lower sales, with the largest decrease in dollar terms in Alberta," the agency wrote.
StatCan said sales from April 2021 to May 2021 dropped by 5.5 per cent or approximately $32,717,000.
However, despite those losses, the agency says it's still a vast improvement over the revenue earned in May 2020, when the country was just three months into the shut down.
Country wide, StatCan said there was only a 0.6 per cent drop in sales for the food services industry and a 37.1 per cent jump in sales from last year.
But the agency said all those figures were also affected by higher prices of some menu items.
"Prices for food purchased from restaurants were up 2.6 per cent in May 2021 compared with May 2020, and prices for alcoholic beverages served in licensed establishments decreased 1.5 per cent over the same period."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
New charges for Ont. woman who previously admitted to defrauding doulas
The Brantford, Ont. woman who was previously sentenced to house arrest after admitting to deceiving doulas has been charged again in connection to a new victim.