Banff businesses struggle with staffing shortages as tourists return
Walk Banff Avenue and store after store has signs looking for help.
"Anyone you get has got six different offers from six different places," said Tim Smuin, manager at Rocky Mountain Chocolates. "It's really hard. We've tried changing our wage structure, offering bonuses."
The competitive hiring market has also left some making tough decisions in their daily operations.
"Thankfully we didn't have to close at all, just some shortened hours, and we are still hiring and we are struggling," said Rae-Anne Larkin, manager of Spirit of Christmas.
"So say on an average day we should have five staff in the store, we are functioning on three, so that's, for a store this size, that's incredibly stressful," Larkin said.
Even the iconic Rimrock Hotel is facing challenges in filling positions ahead of the summer rush.
"We going to carry about 410, 420 staff for the summer time frame and we're sitting at about 360 right now with another 25 to come in," said Rimrock general managerTrevor Long.
"It's more challenging this year,, there's just less and less people that are interested in working in the hospitality field, we have a real struggle getting applications in for the jobs, right across Banff and Lake Louise," Long said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.