The blood alcohol drinking(BAC) limit, set in BC in September 2010, seems to be making it's way east as Saskatchewan announces it plans to impose fines for drivers with a BAC between .04 and .08 in the Spring or Summer of 2013.
This is especially significant to the hospitality industry; hotels, restaurants, casinos, bars and pubs, who can really be impacted with tight revenue margins.
Many owners/operators in BC and Alberta noted a marked decline in sales and concerns from customers who were consuming less alcohol with their meals or none at all, some even deciding to stay home and avoid the hassle. The new regulations make it difficult for customers to guage their safe drinking levels.
While nobody wants to see drunk drivers on the road, the new limits will likely target imbibers that monitor their alcohol consumption, not the obvious and dedicated alcoholics that drink and drive. The latter are the only ones that we need to have more stringent regulations for but ironically are also the only ones unaffected or concerned by the new rules.
If you work in the industry, please watch for the CRFA's upcoming petitions and voice your opinion at crfa.ca.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Prairie Financial Sun Rising
It's good to be in the Prairie's right now as Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton and Regina are poised to lead in growth and prosperity over the next couple of years, according to The Conference Board of Canada posted in The Canadian Press yesterday.
As a recruiter in the hospitality industry, I have seen an influx of applications from the mid and eastcoast for positions in the West in the last couple of years. This is really a significant change considering that heading to Ontario has long been the rallying call to highschool grads in many provinces, including Nova Scotia where my roots lead back. It's been a bit of an identity shock to Ontarians adjusting to a tough labour market and looking West. The Outlook suggest Toronto's growth and prosperity will be tied in 5th place with Regina! But, are job seekers ready to look to Saskatchewan as the booming province? It's another adjustment.
In this volatile economy, adjusting to change is a must. So, many will be getting out their dusty globes to discover where Saskatoon and Regina are located and struggling over the spelling of Sa-skatch-e-wan.
The Conference Board says western cities are benefitting from resource riches and attracting migrants, boding well for housing and consumer spending.
Edmonton created almost 40,000 new jobs last year alone, the think-tank says.
"In spite of global economic turmoil, high prices for agricultural products, minerals and oil are likely to continue," said Mario Lefebvre, director of municipal studies for the Conference Board.
"Canada's Prairie cities will reap the benefits of this global demand for commodities."
Central Canadian cities won't do nearly as well with manufacturing continuing to struggle amid the global slowdown, and government cutbacks weighing on growth domestically.
The top 10 cities in terms of expected growth for 2012 are:
Saskatoon, 4.0 per cent
Calgary, 3.6 per cent
Edmonton, 3.4 per cent
Regina, 2.9 per cent
Oshawa, Ont., 2.7 per cent
Toronto, Trois-Rivieres, Vancouver, 2.6 per cent
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Windsor, 2.5 per cent
As a recruiter in the hospitality industry, I have seen an influx of applications from the mid and eastcoast for positions in the West in the last couple of years. This is really a significant change considering that heading to Ontario has long been the rallying call to highschool grads in many provinces, including Nova Scotia where my roots lead back. It's been a bit of an identity shock to Ontarians adjusting to a tough labour market and looking West. The Outlook suggest Toronto's growth and prosperity will be tied in 5th place with Regina! But, are job seekers ready to look to Saskatchewan as the booming province? It's another adjustment.
In this volatile economy, adjusting to change is a must. So, many will be getting out their dusty globes to discover where Saskatoon and Regina are located and struggling over the spelling of Sa-skatch-e-wan.
The Conference Board says western cities are benefitting from resource riches and attracting migrants, boding well for housing and consumer spending.
Edmonton created almost 40,000 new jobs last year alone, the think-tank says.
"In spite of global economic turmoil, high prices for agricultural products, minerals and oil are likely to continue," said Mario Lefebvre, director of municipal studies for the Conference Board.
"Canada's Prairie cities will reap the benefits of this global demand for commodities."
Central Canadian cities won't do nearly as well with manufacturing continuing to struggle amid the global slowdown, and government cutbacks weighing on growth domestically.
The top 10 cities in terms of expected growth for 2012 are:
Saskatoon, 4.0 per cent
Calgary, 3.6 per cent
Edmonton, 3.4 per cent
Regina, 2.9 per cent
Oshawa, Ont., 2.7 per cent
Toronto, Trois-Rivieres, Vancouver, 2.6 per cent
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Windsor, 2.5 per cent
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