The law proposed by the Coalition avenir Québec to set the legal age of entry into the labor market at 14 has disappointed restaurateurs, who expect to have to close restaurants.
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“Yes, we are disappointed. We did not want to have such a firm age in the bill,” admitted bluntly the vice-president of public and governmental affairs for the Association Restauration Québec, Martin Vézina.
According to a survey conducted within the association, one-third of restaurants must hire young people under the age of 14 to operate successfully.
“Our operators did not choose this basin because it appealed to them. They did it for the necessity of things, “said Mr. Vézina to QUB radio, Wednesday, stressing that the steps to bring in labor from abroad are complicated.
As for the local workforce, a 21% salary increase since 2019 in the industry is not enough to attract enough new workers, particularly in the regions.
In addition to having to lay off workers, restaurateurs will have to resolve to close establishments.
“In rural areas in Quebec, in the regions, there won’t be many restaurants left,” predicted Mr. Vézina.
