Ontario Restaurant, Hotel, and Motel Association

189 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 12 “Workforce was the biggest issue for the industry before COVID and COVID made it more severe. Baby boomers have been retiring and are set to retire and COVID has accelerated that,” Elenis outlines. “Many of them come from immigrant backgrounds in the hospitality sector and immigration policies are not friendly to this industry. We need complete reform and that is something that we have been advocating for the whole industry across Canada for some time.” “ Key positions need to be filled, especially room attendants and cooks, culinary folks in our kitchen and we are now starting to see a supervisory managerial level being affected. We have as an association a campaign strategy to start going into schools and talk to youth about our industry and the career paths available,” Elenis offers. As all travel restrictions have been dropped as well as any cross-border restrictions, the hospitality industry is looking towards a clearer road ahead. Elenis does caution, however, that there are still hurdles to overcome; namely, the need to expand the collaboration between Canada and the US on trade issues as well as the need for more openness when it comes to global trade. Despite the hurdles and the climb back to pre-pandemic levels of business that lie ahead for every area of the hospitality sector, Elenis remains very positive about the future of his much-adored industry. “I see this industry, just judging from the visitors for example making reservations and going to restaurants that there is an appetite across the globe for really traveling, experiencing, visiting and just being out there and now, the industry, I believe is going to be more successful than even before COVID “Our industry is going to be in the position to be really successful, period,” he concludes.