Seven weeks after the evacuation order was lifted for the city of Williams Lake, business owners are still finding it difficult to fill employee vacancies.
“Wherever you walk in town you see help wanted signs,” said Tom Barr, a long-time business owner and former city councillor. “It’s hard to believe. Where did everyone go?”
When thousands of people evacuated from the city and surrounding areas in July, hundreds did not return, leaving businesses scrambling for employees.
At the Tim Hortons in Williams Lake a sign outside states they are hiring for all positions.
Owner Vic Sharman said Tuesday he only lost a few employees that evacuated, but he does need to hire people.
“In general everyone is suffering because we are all fighting for the same people to come work for us,” Sharman said.
Barr said in all his years as a business owner he has never seen such a shortage of workers in Williams Lake as there is now.
Elmer Jensen, who was having coffee with Barr, said he wondered if some of the people who did not return were living day-to-day before the wildfires and were able to find permanent work in other places.
Down the road at Save-On-Foods where there is a “now hiring” sign greeting customers, Alley Katz Bistro owner Sylvia Duhamel who was there shoppiong said she lost one employee who evacuated and never came back.
She knows of other people who stayed away because they were able to find higher paying jobs elsewhere, she added.
“I had to close on Sundays all of August because I did not have enough staff,” Duhamel said. “That was the only way I could give people a day off.”
Fred Van Kuipers who owned his own business and has been involved with the Navy League and several other organizations for decades, said everywhere he goes he sees help wanted signs.
“Anyone looking for a job could have one,” he said, noting some of the restaurants have limited their hours and are not even open for dinner anymore.
Cariboo Truck Terminals owner Wayne Higgins said he lost two employees that evacuated and did not return.
“We just managed to hire a couple not that long ago,” Higgins said. “I am on medical leave and they called me yesterday to see if I could do a run up to Prince George.”
Organizers of an upcoming job fair taking place Oct. 4 and 5 at the Gibraltar Room, said they have seen an increase in the number of employers signed up to exhibit than in previous years.
“We have more employers coming this year,” said Yvonne Funk, executive director for S.A.G.E. Trainers. “We also have some that want to attend but don’t have enough staff to send someone to man a table.”
Good timing for upcoming job fair
Cariboo Chilcotin Aboriginal Training and Employment Centre (CCATEC) and WorkBC Employment Services in Williams Lake are sponsoring the job fair, while S.A.G.E. Trainers is organizing it.
CCATEC community development worker Crystal Cahoose said the CCATEC board has identified the need for the job fair, especially this year.
The fair occurs every second year and in 2015 saw 700 individuals registered during the two days, Cahoose added.
Janine Alphonse, also a community development worker with CCATEC, said in the past some people coming to the job fairs have successfully been hired.
“One year we had someone come all the way from Alberta who got hired,” Alphonse said.
A unique aspect of the job fair, Funk said, is that people can meet employers one-on-one, rather than just drop a resume off at front counter.
“We have companies like CIVEO Camp Catering Company in the fair this year,” Funk said. “The job fair really opens the door for people.”
There will be a grand opening of the job fair on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m. and the event runs both days from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free lunches will be served each day and entertainment will be provided by Wayne Lucier and Southside.
Many door prizes have been donated and there will be draws every hour as well as everyone coming to the fair will be entered for a chance to win the grand prize of an iPad.
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