Kindersley feeling labour crunch during post-pandemic recovery

As Saskatchewan’s economy ramps up after the COVID-19 pandemic, the recovery has stalled for some businesses due to a lack of workers.

A poor turnout at a recent job fair showed Kevin Martin, the executive director of the Kindersley Chamber of Commerce, just how hard it has become to find people to work.

“It was very disappointing to me personally because of all the effort we spent getting it together,” Martin said.

“There were some great jobs out there and if I was younger, I probably would’ve gone for them myself. I know one particular company is offering almost $40 an hour for inexperienced workers and they’re still having trouble. What does that say?”

Martin acknowledges recruitment, especially in the low-paying retail sector, has been an ongoing challenge in smaller communities but he feels the problem has got worse over the past two years.

He pointed to one example of a local restaurant that is now having to turn to foreign workers for the first time.

“(The owner) just didn’t think he’d ever have to do that, but (he has to) when nobody is applying,” said Martin. “He’s not paying bad, either, but if people still aren’t going for it, he has to go elsewhere or his business will be shut down.”

On Tuesday, the federal government announced it was easing rules to allow more temporary foreign workers into the country. The move comes after business groups criticized the federal government’s pandemic employment benefits for hampering the domestic labour market.

“I think that attitude is still prevailing to some degree,” said Martin. “We’re not even seeing people applying at some of these jobs that are open.”

Martin said a lack of workers and the effects of the pandemic have caused one business in the city to close. He also has noticed a reduction in service in Kindersley.

“Historically here, we used to be open late on Thursday night until 9 p.m. or 11 p.m. Very few places left are doing that anymore,” he said.

“If it’s just a one- or two-person operation, they’re not going to come in at 8 a.m. and go home at 8 p.m. They want to go home and have some family time.”

Martin says Kindersley is going further outside the province to attract people to the community. A campaign the town put together last year is being shared across British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario.