Restaurant industry one of the top job creators in 2011

OTTAWA, Feb. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - Canada's restaurant industry grew by 28,000 jobs in 2011, making it the country's third-largest job creator. This jump in employment is an annual increase of 2.6% - the strongest growth since 2007 - and brings the total number of restaurant industry jobs to more than 1.1 million.

"Restaurants are a people business, and our industry provides excellent job opportunities at all levels, from teenagers looking for that all-important first job, to highly skilled chefs, to senior executives," says Garth Whyte, President and CEO of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association (CRFA). "Consumers are spending more and the number of restaurants is growing. This increase in employment proves that our industry has an important role to play in the Canadian economy."

This is the message CRFA is delivering today in a meeting with Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney. In addition, CRFA will discuss the most recent results of its quarterly Restaurant Outlook Survey which measures business performance and confidence in the restaurant industry.

The restaurant industry:

• now employs more than 1.1 million Canadians or 6.5% of the country's workforce;
• employs more than 480,000 young people under the age of 25, accounting for one in five youth jobs;
• is the fourth-largest private sector employer in the country;
• employs more people than finance and insurance, agriculture, and forestry and logging combined;
• created one in 15 new jobs over the past decade.

A 2010 Ipsos poll found that 22% of Canadians were first employed by the restaurant industry, making it the number one source of first jobs, and 80% of Canadians recognize restaurants as a vital source of employment.

CRFA is one of Canada's largest business associations, with more than 30,000 members representing restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and other foodservice providers. Canada's $63-billion foodservice industry employs more than one million people in communities across the country.

Prasanthi Vasanthakumar, Communications Specialist, 1-800-387-5649, ext. 4254 or [email protected].