Huge lineup of people looking to apply at restaurant shows reality of Toronto job market
Yet another video of a massive lineup for a job fair in Toronto is making rounds on social media this week, with similar clips having ignited debates about the city's competitive job market, rising unemployment, and housing in the GTA.
The latest congested job fair took place at a Mediterranean seafood restaurant, Toronto Beach Club, located just a few steps away from Woodbine Beach at 1681 Lake Shore Blvd E.
A spokesperson confirmed to blogTO that the restaurant was hiring for and interviewing for several hourly positions, including servers, bartenders, bar backs, server assistants, hosts, line cooks, and prep cooks, as well as a few management positions.
While 4,000 people registered online, roughly 1,000 job seekers showed up at the hiring fair. In a video posted to TikTok, the massive lineup outside the restaurant is shown along with the caption, "Every mf from Toronto lining up to apply to an open interview for dishwasher job."
The spokesperson clarified to blogTO that while the restaurant didn't interview for dishwashers, they did collect over 350 resumes for the role.
Many Toronto residents joined in the comments section under the video to discuss current challenges faced by job seekers in the city's market.
"I had a singular interview in weeks of applying, it's wild out here," one person wrote in response to the TikTok.
Other congested job fairs in Ontario over the past year include ones hosted by McDonald's, Fortinos, Bath & Body Works, Garage, Dufferin Mall, LCBO, and Pearson Airport.
According to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, the unemployment rate in Toronto was 7.5 per cent as of March 2024, up 0.4 per cent from the previous month. Full-time employment was down 60,100 jobs from the peak in July 2023 but stood 12,700 jobs above the trough in January 2024.
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