Labor shortages are rife: is holiday shopping at risk?

Many consumers’ holiday shopping can be affected by the labor shortage affecting businesses.

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“We need staff fairly regularly. During the holidays, this will be the hardest,” said one Eton staff member.

Some merchants will not extend their weekday hours until 9 p.m. due to a labor shortage. Others have made the decision to close on weekends.

“If you work until 9pm, they’re open until 9pm. If customers know you open at 6am, they’ll make an effort to come in. Anyone who wants to, will be there,” explains the shopkeeper.

The director of the Société de développement Commercial (SDC) Montreal center-ville is confident there will be no negative effects on merchants, given that many customers make their purchases online.

“Our traders have adapted very quickly since the beginning of the pandemic, and since this summer, with somewhat limited hours, they have been able not only to meet demand, but also – look at that on the balance sheets – to generate sales similar to those in 2019.